KEEPING PROMISES

“When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.”  — Numbers 30:2

“It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.”  — Ecclesiastes 5:5

When I was a young teenager still living at home, I decided I would try fasting.  I didn’t understand the whole concept of fasting (fasting and prayer).  I was not a Christian at that time, but for some reason I vowed to God that I would fast for two days.  I let my mom know what I was doing and I remember before the two days were over I kept asking her if I could just eat, that I was hungry.  Mom would tell me time and again that I made a vow to God and that I cannot break it.  I kept the vow, fasted the two days and was glad that I did and respected Mom for telling me that I could not go against what I had promised the Lord.  Thousands of years ago, God expected His people to honor their word and to keep their promises, and He still does today.

We expect the Lord to keep His promises; therefore, he expects us to keep ours.