12TH NOVEMBER

THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS

“Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory,
so Israel turned away from him.” (Numbers 20:21, NKJV)

Edom showed Israel the red light. Who is Edom, by the way? Our Father God definitely has a great sense of humour. The Hebrew word “Edom” means red and is derived from the name of the founder of the kingdom, Esau, because he was born “red all over”. As if that was not enough, as a youth, he sold his birth right to his younger brother, Jacob (who became Israel) for “red pottage”. Then, many generations later, despite Israel’s plea to pass through Edom on their journey to the Promised Land, Edom, the descendants of Esau, still held up the red signal.

Sometimes there are red lights of closed doors in our lives, in spite of our prayers and entreaties – no jobs, difficult finances, no medical solutions to health challenges, failed and faltering relationships, limited or no opportunities to evangelise etc. This is a time to stop and wait in prayer and Bible study. It is a time to trust God more, as we build our endurance, forgiving and forgetting the negative irritants of the past. It is a time to sacrifice in accepting something less than our expectations – then watch and listen for a redirection.

Israel stopped at the red light, searched and found a blinking amber light. And as they cautiously got ready to move with their eyes on the Lord, they found the distant green light, went forward with vigour – around, instead of through Edom; through the open back door, instead of the locked front door. God planned another route for them.

These words of James Boice are very true; “Negative guidance (red light) keeps us from where we are not called, in order that in God’s time we might come to where God is calling us. When God closes doors (red lights) it is not because He has nothing for us to do; it is to keep us from getting into a situation to which we are not called in order that we might be directed (green light) to a situation to which we are called.”

ACTION: How sensitive are you to God’s “traffic lights”. Pay more attention to them – they save lives and destinies.

PRAYER: Lord, open my eyes to your traffic light, to know when to wait, when get ready and when to get going.