Red Light, Green Light

There is a popular children’s game called “Red Light, Green Light.” Perhaps you have heard of it, or even played it with the kids in your life? If you haven’t, basically there is one person who calls out either “Red Light” or “Green Light”, and the rest of the group responds by stopping or running ahead, but you definitely have to be sure that you have stopped before the caller turns around, or you are sent back to the starting line again.

When I re-read this story this past week as our pastor preached about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea with the Egyptians chasing behind them, I was struck by how God and Moses were calling out either “stop” or “go” to the fearful and complaining children who were the Israelites!

This was not a game, though! There was a real threat that the Egyptians would either kill or enslave them, and they were between the Red Sea and the Egyptian armies with seemingly nowhere to escape (between a “rock and a hard place” is one way we might put it).

Anyone who has ever driven a car knows how hard it is to wait at a stop light, especially if you are in a hurry. Our culture does not like to wait, either! But what do you do when God tells you to wait or stop where you are, indefinitely?

God did give the “green light” and Moses led the Israelites forward, into the Red Sea, but on dry ground. God’s timing was impeccable. He truly delivered his children, in his own way and in his own timing, so that he would “gain the glory” at Pharaoh's expense. Our pastor told us that this was the first time “salvation” was actually mentioned in the Bible, a symbolic foreshadowing of what Christ would do for us on the cross.

Father God, you delivered your people from the Egyptians and you delivered us from the slavery of sin through Christ’s death on the cross. Please help me to remember that I can trust you when you tell me to stand firm and when you tell me to go forward! Amen.

For Today: Do you need to be delivered from something that is causing you either to complain or be fearful? Are you willing to accept God’s “red light” to stand firm where you are, until he gives you the “green light” to move forward? Ask God to show you what he wants to do for you!