Psalms 8:1, 16:2, and 31:1-3

My Shepherd stirred my mind on the subject of vows very early this morning. I rose from bed thinking about covenants, vows, promises.

God keeps covenant with His people:

Daniel 9:4 ¶ And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments.

God has instructed us to keep the vows we make to Him:

Ecclesiastes 5:4 ¶ 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.

Ecclesiastes 5:6 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?

Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Deuteronomy 23:21 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 23:22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

Deuteronomy 23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

The infamous vow of Jephthah has raised considerable debate:

Judges 11:30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

Judges 11:31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

Along the still waters, I reflected on how easy it appears to be to make vows, or promises, and the ease with which these are set aside. The cavalier attitude toward making vows contributes to the ease with which they are set aside.

As for Jephthah’s vow, he should have remembered Abraham’s experience recorded in Genesis 22 and known God would not require human sacrifice. He could have “redeemed” his child with a substitute sacrifice, following the principle of redemption commanded in the law (Exodus 13:13-15).

In the valley, I remembered my vows, and especially the vow that comprehends all others: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I don’t believe Jesus stumbled beneath the weight of His Cross. I believe He set it down, at the command of His Father, intending for Simon Peter to take it up and follow Him to Calvary. Another Simon received the honour, for Peter had denied the Lord thrice, and could not see in His Master’s eyes the forgiveness that was there, nor remembered he the promise of Jesus: “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32). Although I have taken up the cross, I have stumbled under the weight of it from time to time. O LORD, forgive me, and help me remember I don’t carry it alone, for Thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4). We are glad He keeps His promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”

At the table, I rejoiced that our GOD keeps covenant and mercy (Daniel 9:4). He graciously anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed as we went into harvest together.

Praying for revival! 🙏