Beating The Red Light

Imagine yourself driving your own car while hurrying to a very special appointment or in a ‘take it or leave it’ business meeting when suddenly you saw the stop light from green to yellow turning red -- 80 kph transformed into 100 kph. Two circumstances await you, either you will beat the red light or you will lose the deal. Which of which will you choose?

In our world, beating the red light isn’t good to hear. Yes, it’s a traffic violation. Indeed, there’s an appropriate sanction when you commit it. But what is this ‘beating the red light’ means for us, Christians? Especially for those UMYF who attended the Christmas Institute 2015? :)

This red light represents everything that stops us from growing and doing the will of God for us. Personally, I don’t have any idea on how God will reveal what He wants me to learn in this CI. This is one of the drawbacks of being a staff – you’re so busy to the point that sometimes, you’re not able to attend on some sessions. But God is faithful, He moved far beyond what I imagined. He moved in different ways. And I love those. He made me experienced those red lights during the CI itself.

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   The Red Light of Complaints

No beddings and utensils provided, not enough comfort rooms for the delegates, not enough rice, very hot weather, too early dawn watch, so tiring sessions, too far rooms from the session hall, and other complaints I heard from other delegates and some were from myself. But, CI is not a vacation time anyway or not a sacrificial retreat either. It’s definitely one of the great times to know more of God and have fellowship with His people.

 The Red Light of Expectations

Before CI, some of us expect that there will be a time for us to unwind and escape from this world of difficulties but it’s not. We expect this one and that one and it didn’t happen so we end up being frustrated. Don’t get me wrong. Expectations are good as long as you’re expecting from God. God loves to meet our expectations for Him. When we started to expect from people, that’s the very moment we start to be frustrated.

I’m glad our CI isn’t perfect. Because from that, I learned to expect from God on how He will show His glory despite of all the imperfections.

·         The red light of Busy-ness

As a staff, there are moments that you will miss some sessions, you will eat and sleep either late or not at all and other things that you’re not experiencing before (high five to other CI Staffs out there). You’re tired, hungry and not yet sleeping but still, you have to continue what you’re doing and no one can stop you until CI is totally finished. There are moments that you will feel over fatigued and you lose temper easily especially if things are not going the way you want it to be.

Want to know the solution for this? Pray together. It really works. Thank God that it’s not too late for us to realize that.

·        The red light of  Fear and Discouragements

Since first night, I really feel pressured because I’m going to lead the last night. Seriously, it’s really a pressure to lead hundreds of young people towards worshipping God. I mean, it’s a great privilege for me but a great responsibility at the same time. I feel I can’t. I lost all my self-confidence and start to doubt myself. “Ako ba talaga ang will Mo for this, Lord? Pwede naman pong iba na lang, kaya naman nila, sila na lang po.” (“Do you really want me for this, Lord? Other people can do this, please just choose them.”) Every after big night, my mind says “Sila tapos na sa kaba, ako ilang araw pa,” (“They are already finished with the pressures but I’m not. I have more days to feel it,”) and I had arguments with God over and over again.

Then it came one session that tackled about vision. God made me remember the dream He planted in my heart when I was seven years old -- I wanted to be one of the lead vocals in Hillsong Philippines! Yes, sounds funny but I dreamt about that. I imagine myself singing and leading many people into worship. With that, God encouraged me to believe in myself that we can do this because that’s also a fulfillment of my childhood dream. I will sing as if I’m the lead vocals and worship as if my team is like Hillsong.

Throughout the day, I experienced discouragements and start to argue with God again. I stated all my excuses for God to choose other people. I even stated, “Lord, puyat ako. Mahirap kumanta. Baka pwede po iba na lang.” But God answered me through giving me an opportunity to lead the execoms and staffs into worship at 1 o’clock in the morning during our quiet time together. I just said, “Lord, grabe Ka talaga.”

After our quiet time, I felt the calmness. I learned to entrust everything to God and realized that oppressions were coming because God’s gonna do something great.

That last night, everything went great according to His will. He intervened; He used me like never before. That night was a breakthrough.

And that breakthrough was actually a green light for me. A green light of vision God gave for me. Three years ago, my prayer partner shared to me a vision that God made her see. She had a vision about me with my hand raised high, leading hundreds of people towards worshipping God. Three years ago, it doesn’t make any sense. To be honest, I and my prayer partner already forgot about that. It’s been years anyway. But God made us remember. My prayer partner was supposed to take a picture for one of our guitarists when she accidentally captured my image with my left hand raised.

While she was browsing her gallery that night, she thought that a particular image was familiar. Feels like the left and right hemisphere of her brain said ‘yes’ at the same time. Then, she remembered the vision. The moment she shared to me this green light of vision, I felt the spirit of God that made me cry and my heart beat faster. That moment was the time that God commanded me to just close my eyes and raise my hand.

God is really faithful. No matter how long and how far, as long as He promised, whether you remember it or not, it will surely happen. For God is the first and the most powerful red light beater ever that no one can stop Him in giving a green light for His promises. :)