No, Slow, Go

Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So, don’t you think that the God who conceived you in love will be even better? Matthew 7:7-11 The Message 

What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. Matthew 7:21 The Message

These verses tell something about how to pray to God and how he will respond. Many places in the Bible ask for us to be obedient and God will answer our prayers. 

The question is when, when will God answer our prayers. Kay Byers, in my neighborhood Bible study explained it this way—it could be “NO.” We never like this answer. I prayed for something for two years and found out later, the very best answer for me was “NO.” Or, it could be “SLOW.” It seems we want immediate answers, but God’s timing is not ours. Or, it could be “GO.” God may put actions into your mind. These actions most likely are a way for you to help the situation. So, remember “NO, SLOW, GO” are always possible answers to your prayer.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, give us wisdom to decipher how you are answering our prayers and why sometimes the answer is not what we want. Help us to be patient and to understand your answers are best for us. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck