Today’s Daily Bread ~ The Red Light

Ecclesiastes 3:1 – There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.

In my house, Monday seems to be our busiest day.  After the bustle of breakfast, teeth brushing and dressing, we head out the door so mom can have a quick workout while the kids play in the child’s center at Lifetime Fitness.  After that we head back to the house where I quickly throw together lunch, which we eat at the pediatric rehabilitation center.

Then it’s on to the most dreaded event of the week: the grocery store. I do my best to shop quickly and efficiently, so as not to spend any extra time in that jungle of isles and brightly colored labels deliberately made irresistible to tiny hands.  I attempt to make a game of it, so as to minimize the incessant whining that always seems to accompany the trip.  We look for letters and determine which item is less expensive.  Even so, it’s borderline excruciating to maneuver through the mega-store with two children striving to establish their independence from both the cart and their mother.

By the time we exit I usually feel more like a shepherd than a mom.  I’m tired, fighting off frustration, and just want to make it home so I can start planning dinner.  Unfortunately, the kids feel about the same way, and are rather vocal about it.

The other day, as I sat parked in the line behind the seemingly eternal red light, my son hollered out, “Mo-om!  Go!”

I took a deep breath and bit my tongue, not willing to let my three year old get the best of me.

“Mo-om,” he cried, growing in both irritation and volume, “Why don’t you go?!”

“Nick,” I calmly replied, “I can’t go.  We’re at a red light.”  At that very moment, it changed to green.  But the line was long, and my turn wouldn’t come for another cycle, which prompted yet another outburst from Nick.

As I sat there, silently willing the traffic to move, I glanced in the rearview mirror at my boy.  His little brow was furrowed, his little jaw, clenched.  He didn’t have the same perspective that I enjoyed, sitting in the front seat.  His view was hindered; he couldn’t see the whole picture.  He only knew that we weren’t moving, and he wanted to go home.

Ecclesiastes 8:6 – Yes, there is a time and a way for everything, even as people’s troubles lie heavily upon them.

I started to explain the traffic and the red light system to my son, but he’d lost interest, and taken up tormenting his sister.  I sighed and thought to myself, “Oh well.  We’ll be home soon enough.”

Had I attempted to move on my son’s timing I wouldn’t have gone very far.  Straight into the rear bumper of the car in front of me.  Nick doesn’t yet have the wisdom to understand traffic laws.  Just like we don’t have the wisdom to understand the ways of God.

When I first started in radio, the only thing in the world that I wanted was to be on a morning show.  And I honestly thought I was ready.  Looking back, of course, I know now that had God answered my prayers, I would’ve failed.  I didn’t yet know how to work out timing with the music.  I didn’t know how read other people’s cues or when to exit a break.  I hadn’t learned how to maximize the time, cutting out anything that makes a segment drag on.  I wasn’t yet proficient running the sound board.  I needed that summer doing overnights and the two years doing a night show.  When the call from KSCS came I was ready.  God’s timing was perfect.

Acts 1:7 – He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”

A dear friend of mine is a pilot.  She tells me that the perspective you get from the cockpit of a plane is like none other.  You can see for miles and miles.  “The bird’s eye view is incredible,” she tells me.  “I don’t know that I ever really realized God’s greatness until I flew over the Grand Canyon.  Man just can’t create like that.  You see it from that perspective and you know there’s a God.” 

We aren’t allowed a bird’s eye perspective in life.  We can only see but a few feet in front of us.  But God gives us His Word, the Bible, to navigate our way through.  When times are difficult, and there will certainly be difficult times, we must remember that His ways are higher than our ways.  His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  His timing is impeccable and His plan is perfect.  And as long as we cling to His hand, we might stumble, but we will never fall.

Dear Heavenly Father, it is so difficult to be patient when we’re waiting on Your answer, but You tell us in Scripture to be still in Your Presence, and to wait patiently on You (Ps. 37:7).  Please give us more faith in Your Goodness and more patience.  Help us to find peace in the stillness.  Help us to trust that Your plan is in place.  Father, we know that, just because it appears as though nothing is happening, that doesn’t mean that You are not working.  You are always working for the good of those who love You.  Help us to love You more; with our whole heart, soul, body and mind.  Help us to shine Your light while we’re waiting on Your answer.  Help us to remember that when we don’t get a definite “yes” or “no,” Your answer is simply to “wait.”  God, we praise Your Holy Name.  We thank You for Your Son.  We thank You for Your Word, the Bible.  Help us to hear You when You speak.  Give us wisdom, knowledge and discernment.  We love You so much, and we pray these things in the glorious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.