His Promises are Sure . . .
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.2 Peter 1:3-4
This is an excerpt from a talk given by Sheri Dew at the BYU Women's Conference a few days ago. I have a deep respect for Sister Dew. I had the privilege of meeting her and she spoke at our stake women's conference when I was stake Relief Society president. I have never heard her speak that I wasn't left inspired, uplifted, and wanting to be better and do better.
"Most of the Lord’s promises are conditional. He is bound when we do what He says but when we don’t, we have no promise. So we are the ones who decide if we will do what is required to receive His promises. We are the ones who will decide if we will continue to believe even when some promises don’t materialize as we hoped. I’ve learned in a poignant way that the Lord has His own timetable. He fulfills some promises quickly and some over long periods of time. But that doesn’t mean He isn’t blessing us throughout the process. For more that four decades I have prayed, fasted, and pleaded for an eternal companion. When I was called to the Relief Society general presidency at the age of forty-three, I would have never believed I would still be unmarried at this age. To this day I don’t understand it, and I guess, let me just simply say I am well acquainted with disappointment. But remember Sarah’s response when the Lord told her and Abraham they would conceive a son at their age, “Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?” (Genesis 18:13). Through His gentle rebuke the Lord sent a message to each of us. “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). I’m not expecting the miracle Sarah received but I believe in miracles. I have experienced miracles. I believe in the ministering of angels. I have experienced the reality of priesthood power. I have received revelation many times. And I absolutely believe the scripture is true, “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:33). In many ways over many years, I have learned that the Lord will not fail us. I can’t imagine how I would have handled so many years of being alone without the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I haven’t received everything I’ve asked for yet, but the Lord has walked beside me, and carried me a good part of the way. He has kept His promises to me. I believe that the best is yet to come, for the Lord always keeps His promises."
Sheri Dew
BYU Women’s Conference | April 2021
BYU Women’s Conference | April 2021
