Daily devotional, Jan 2, 2024 Foolish Vows
“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin." Deuteronomy 23:21
The song “Broken Vow” is one of the saddest songs I have heard. It tells of a story of a woman who was asking her loved one why he broke his promise to her. The song got popular in the early 2000s as it was used in the hit Taiwanese TV Series “Meteor Garden,” and was recorded by multi-awarded American singer Josh Groban.
Most likely, it became a hit because like many sad songs, a lot of people were able to relate to it. After all, how many of us have experienced such sad fate, and how many of us have personally broken promises we have made?
This 2024, let us refrain from making foolish vows that do not only hurt us, but hurt others and ultimately our Lord and Savior. For instance, how many times have we prayed earnestly to the Lord that we will refrain from committing our favorite sins just so he could take away our problems? And once we have already been freed from our affliction, we go back to our old ways, and forget what we have vowed before God.
"When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay."
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
In the above passage, the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes echoed reminders from the Old Testament about making vows to God, adding that it would be better not to promise anything at all than renege on such.
In the New Testament, Our Lord Jesus Christ himself emphasized this too, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew:
"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil."
Matthew 5:33-37
So let us not allow ourselves to make the mistake of promising something to the Lord or to anyone, and not following through. It is never wise to do such because it only means we do not have enough faith to offer a sacrifice to our Lord. It also shows that we do not have integrity to fulfill our commitments. It manifests as well that we are not credible enough because we cannot make others believe us without swearing to higher powers.
"Let not your mouth lead youinto sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear." Ecclesiastes 5:6-7
And in this season of making New Year’s resolutions, let us also keep ourselves from making personal commitments that we have no plans or mental resolve to uphold for the rest of our lives. Even seemingly trivial or harmless resolutions like eating healthier, exercising, or improving one’s character could hurt us when we do not stick to it.
The impact of a less healthier body and mind, will soon take a toll on one’s being. Apart from the practical impact, the fact that we are getting ourselves used to breaking our own personal commitments can make us callous over time when it comes to fulfilling our obligations for personal and spiritual growth.
If there’s anything that we can try to do this 2024 it is to keep worshipping the Lord in both the good times and the bad times. We have to pray and thank Him for the past, present, and even future blessings, and do His will as we await His plans to materialize in our life.
"Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!"
Psalm 31:23-24
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Ecclesiastes 5:4-7, and Numbers 30:1-16 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: What vows did you make before the Lord that you have been holding unto until now? Are there any that you have failed to do?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, grant me the confidence to stick to the commitments that I promised to you and my fellowmen. I want to remain faithful to you my Lord and I never want to hurt you and others. Give me the strength and fortitude to keep my promises so that I could live a life that glorifies you. Amen.