MEMORISE:
When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. Deuteronomy 23:21
READ: Ecclesiastes 5:4-6
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
MESSAGE
It is a terrible thing to make a vow to God and not fulfil it. The Bible puts the people who do such in the same category as those who say there is no God- fools (Ecclesiastes 5:4). Many people have made vows based on resources that they don’t have. While they may claim to be making such vows by faith, is it not better to say “Lord if you give me this contract, then I will give you so and so percent of the money” than to make vows beyond your actual present reality.
“Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” Ecclesiastes 5:4-6
From the Bible verse above, we see that there is an angel assigned to the recording and collection of vows. That is how seriously God takes vows. Ecclesiastes 5:6 shows that when a vow defaulter prays, instead of getting an answer to the prayer, he/she gets God’s anger. Then it goes ahead to say that God could destroy the work of their hands too! By now, it should be very clear to you that it is better not to make a vow at all than to make one and not fulfil it. Think very carefully before you make any vows.
Now, in case you have made a vow you did not fulfil, if at all you can, I advise you to quickly go ahead and do so now. If it is however, something that you cannot fulfil, then you should go before God pleading for mercy. Acts 17:30 says:
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”
So, go ahead and cry to Him for mercy, but now that you know, ensure you don’t make vows carelessly again.
ACTION POINT:
Think of all the vows you have made in the past and didn’t fulfil. Do your best to fulfil them now. God takes vows very seriously.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lamentations 1:1-3:36
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 17: MUST I GO AND EMPTY HANDED.
1. “Must I go, and empty-handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?
o Refrain:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him,
Must I empty-handed go?
2. Not at death I shrink or falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
3. Oh, the years in sinning wasted,
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow.
4. Oh, ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.
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