Yesterday I peeked at this chapter so I knew what was coming. I wondered what conversations and thoughts God might spark in me as I contemplated this text. Slowly the thought brewed “Be careful what you promise God.”
My mind raced back to the bold comments from chapter 42, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God" (5-6). I remembered my initial thoughts…what a fabulous prayer… true, honest and hope-filled. But in the end, the words turned out to be nothing but hot air which in the end made their disobedience seem all the worse. You are lying! (2) they shouted to Jeremiah after they heard what he prophesied.
Words are cheap, I noted that yesterday. Today came the warning, “Be careful what you promise God.” Why? Because a vow is a vow… and the Lord takes vows seriously.
Consider the judge, Jephthah (Judges 11). He vows a rash and ill advised vow; keeping his word to God costs him dearly. He does, however, keep his vow to the Lord and is named in Hebrews 11 as one of the faithful saints of the OT.
God takes our vows seriously… “Be careful what you promise God.”
That’s God’s Word to me today. How about you?
Lord, I am a bit convicted to say too much in my prayer today. Thank You for Your Word, the Bible, and thank You for speaking to me day in and day out as I sit with You during my devotional time and… thank You for speaking with me throughout the day! Help me to be attentive to You throughout the day so that I may hear Your whispers and nudges even when I least expect them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
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