On my way home from work today, my husband texted me.
We had been talking about buying a TV on Black Friday or Cyber Monday but I hadn’t pulled the trigger on anything yet. He found one and ordered it. He wrote, “So, I think I can fit the TV in my car and pick it up tomorrow at 1pm. Or would you like me to see if you have a bigger trunk opening and schedule pickup for tomorrow at 6pm?”
I was driving; I genuinely try to avoid texting and driving. My car read me the text and I was chomping at the bit to reply. I’m, like, 99% good at leaving the phone out of my hand while driving. And since I don’t have voice-to-text features very handy on my car I waited. I kept waiting for a red light. I have plenty of traffic lights on the way home every day. And I bet you could guess what happened: I didn’t get one single red light for the major stretch of my way home.
Of course.
It took a while before I finally got to a red light so I could send back a one-liner: “Either way works for me.”
Red Lights and Analogies
I know it sounds crazy, but I firmly believe that God speaks to me in analogies. So, trust me when I say that this is honestly what happened in my head.
I started thinking about how, during some seasons in our lives, we have to wait for the red light in our day and sneak in a little God time.
And even that takes planning ahead, doesn’t it?
I don’t just stumble upon dedicated God time. I don’t just accidentally begin to read the Bible. I usually have to seek out time to speak intentionally with God and listen to His voice.
Surely that’s not just me. You, too?
I’ll be the first to admit that I miss out on God time too often. Like, way too often. In this season of life, morning Bible time just doesn’t happen. By bedtime, I’m zonked and my eyes droop as soon as I sit down. Sometime in the middle of the day is what I can do right now.
Over the last few months, I’ve been rocking out some Bible-reading time during my lunch time at work. It’s been sweet and delightful, even when I’m not super focused. This is one part of my day when there’s a red light–a stop to my day. I don’t work while I eat (usually) and I spend most lunch periods by myself. Red light.
And at least four out of five days a week, I have a couple of hours after work before the kids and husband come home. Sometimes I nap. Honestly, most times I decompress from the day. And sometimes I read the Bible, write, or pray. Red light.
Red Lights Instead of Excuses
We can come up with all sorts of reasons to avoid God time. We can claim we’re too busy or that we don’t have any space in our hectic lives to give to God.
Maybe you’ve been told that the only way you can spend time with God is by getting up early and spending exorbitant amounts of time studying the Bible and dropping to your knees in prayer. Or that you have to do it some specific way.
Listen, there’s no universal formula for connecting with the God of the universe. He can meet you at your lunch desk, your traffic light, your couch, grocery pick-up or even a drive-thru.
And during some seasons of life, that’s the only way we can make it happen.
That’s a beautiful thing about our Lord. He’s present everywhere and great in whatever dosage we have time for.
James 4.8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” It doesn’t say how often or how long. Just do it.
Anticipate that red light moment, friend, and take full advantage of it by reaching out to Jesus: switch to your app that reads the Bible to you, turn on praise and worship music, close your eyes and pray. Plan it now. Decide what your next red light moment will be so you’re ready when it hits.
And if you need help deciding, pray this with me, right now: Lord, prepare me for the next red light moment You’ll give me. Help me to be ready to receive from You and make it obvious to me that it’s time for us to connect. I miss connecting with You and want You more than any of this. Amen.
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