"Give Him the Green Light"

Scripture: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” –Revelations 3:20, NIV

Within the last couple of years, I have grown fond of the music expertise of one of the best Neo-Soul artists around. This particular artist I am making reference to is a Philly native by the name of John Legend. He has made hits like “Ordinary People” and “Used to Love U” on his “Get Lifted” album that garnered him sales over 2.1 million thus earning the distinction of double platinum. In 2008, Legend dropped his last album entitled “Evolver” and so far, it has sold over 600,000 copies thus earning the distinction of gold. On this particular album, he recorded a song with Andre 3000 of Outkast that has become one of my favorites entitled “Greenlight”. Within this song, Legend wants to obtain the green light to get with a woman and be able to enjoy her on a more personal level. As I began to think about this song, I began to think our Heavenly Father and how He desires the green light from us! He desires it in such a manner where He wants to show you more and more each day how God He really is in your life! He wants the green light so that He can share things with you! He wants the green light so He can help you see your way through situations, instead of you trying to struggle through situations. My question to you on today is “Are you giving God the Green Light in your life?” Today’s scripture ministers to us why we should give God the green light.

Today’s scripture is found in the last book of the New Testament, thus making it the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelations. This book was written by John the Revelator while being alone on the isle of Patmos (a small island located in modern-day Greece). In Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelations, God instructed John to write to what is known as the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (located in modern-day Turkey). These churches were located in Ephesus, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Pergamos (or Pergamum), Sardis, Laodicea, and Smyrna. Today’s main scripture is found when John wrote the church at Laodicea. As he was writing this particular church, he was letting them know about their lukewarm faith in God. He tells the church that you are neither hot nor cold, but you are lukewarm and that God will spew you out of His mouth. If we were to be honest with ourselves, at one point or another, we have been Laodiceanish! We have been very hot, then become very cold! We have been lukewarm, but God provides us a warning here not to be this way! He wants us to serve Him and serve Him wholeheartedly (or at least strive towards serving Him in this manner)! Even through this discussion with Laodicea, John provides the church and us why we should give Him (God) the green light.

The text begins with God exclaiming, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock!” Each and every day, God stands at the door of your hearts and He knocks! He knocks become He wants to get in! He knocks because He cares about you! He is at the door because there’s something He wants with you and wants to do through you! If truth were told, just because we hear someone knocking at the door does not mean we let them in. Today, God does not want you to treat Him like a stranger off the street! God wants you to give Him the green light!

Then, the text concludes with this: “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me”. Wow! By giving your Heavenly Father the green light, He will come in and eat with you and you with Him. In other words, He will come in and minister to you His love for you! He will share with you the cuisine of love! He will share with you the dessert of happiness! He will share with you the cuisine of longsuffering! He will share with you the cuisine of clarity on life’s matters! He will share with you the dessert of joy! Not only will He serve you these dishes, you can serve Him a side dish of praise! You can serve Him a side dish of worship! You can serve Him an entrée of Hallelujah, Glory to Your name! You can serve Him an entrée of yourself, being a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is our reasonable service (Romans 12)! Giving Him the green light and letting Him in opens up the doors of opportunity in your life! It will bring about prosperity, happiness, joy, understanding, forgiveness, longsuffering, patience, and other critical things needed to be an effective Christian!

In closing, Legend is a respected artist with awesome thoughts relayed through his music. “Greenlight” was an example of this artist in action. On today, God wants to receive from you, my brother and my sister, the green light! The green light to gain entrance into the doors of your heart! As you give Him entrance into the doors of your heart, He will be there to eat with you and you with Him! As you do that, He will feast off of you and you will truly feast off Him! Will you give God the green light?