By Brenda Cannon Henley
I heard a really good message yesterday by a guest speaker in our local church. Pastor Bill Prater and his wife, Katie, were in Pinellas Park for a very successful marriage retreat. Pastor Prater pastors Fellowship Baptist Church in Liberal, Kansas, and is a full time police officer. I really did not know what to expect, but what I heard and learned in three messages blessed my heart and helped me on my journey.

I truly enjoy messages that are clear, concise, and created to help folks. It is also good if they contain enough humor, personal testimony, and applications to transfer the texts into working solutions for daily living. In other words, I want to know what the speaker wants me to do about what he shared or taught. I got Bill Prater’s message on waiting. Believe me, I got it.

Waiting has always been hard for me. I am a “get it done” type personality. If I determine a need or desire, I usually envision several courses or plans by which I can help to make the goal happen. When God says no or not now, I often struggle.

Waiting for me is hard work and I have to truly discipline myself not to plunge in and move right along. Main problem is that when I (or anyone else) goes ahead of God and pushes forward in our own right, things often get confused and end badly.

God’s plan is always better than our plan.

I taught recently in my Small Group Devotions on Abraham and Sarah where their story is found in Genesis 16. I was delighted when Pastor Prater shared their story in his message because I felt my ladies would be excited and really get his message.

If you know the story, you recognize that God had promised Abraham and Sarah a manchild even though Sarah was barren and unable to conceive a child. There are many promises that go along with God’s instruction to this historical couple, and if you happen to be a history buff, you know the outcome has significant meaning to humanity down through the ages of time.

God intended to make a great nation from the seed of Abraham. However, we see that while they were waiting, Sarah became impatient and decided to help God out by sending her own handmaid into Abraham for him to bear a child with rather than waiting on God to fulfill His purpose and plan. We can follow the story to see how that impatience turned out and we will learn that it still affects us today.

Pastor Prater drew four simple statements to our attention that we need to remember today.

W – Walk a little slower. Step back and allow God to work His plan in our hearts and lives.

A – Ask God for patience, wisdom, and self control.

I – Imagine the worst case scenario that could occur by waiting.

T – Think of others impacted by your decision to go ahead of God.

When God asks us to wait on Him, it is best that we obey. Consider the consequences.

Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at 409 781 8788, or
[email protected]

[Feb-24-2020]