Keeping Your Word - Day 175 Month 6-24 Week 25-7
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Judges 11:29-13:25, Psalm 141, Jeremiah 49:7-22, Acts 11:1-18
Keeping Your Word
Be wise with the promises you make.
Jephthah made an unwise vow to the LORD, one that he came to regret. He vowed that if he returned home in peace, he would offer as a burnt offering whatever came out of the doors of his house to meet him. Unfortunately, his daughter—his one and only child—was the first to come out, celebrating her father's return. As I read this passage today, I could not help but wonder what Jephthah thought would come out of the doors of his house. He had set himself up for this tragedy.
When we make promises and vows, we need to do so wisely. In our day and age, I believe we have loosened the seriousness of promises and commitments. It is not unusual to hear about, or be affected by, broken promises. Often, people make promises with good intentions, but when those promises are repeatedly broken, their word begins to lose its value. Eventually, they can no longer be trusted to do what they say. There was a time when a contract could be sealed with a handshake. Today, we rely on lawyers and lengthy paperwork that detail every term and condition because, in general, people can no longer be taken at their word.
This occasionally happens in my own life. Sylvia will ask me to do something, and I will tell her that I will take care of it. Several days later, she may ask whether I completed the task, and often I have not gotten to it yet. Sometimes more urgent matters have demanded my attention, but often the culprit is simply procrastination. Technically, I have not broken my promise, but neither have I acted on it in a timely manner. It bothers me when Sylvia feels the need to follow up because it reminds me that I have not always been faithful in keeping my word.
Thankfully, as a follower of Jesus, I know that God offers forgiveness when I fail or break a vow. My sins are covered by His grace. That does not give me permission to be careless with my promises, but it does bring comfort knowing that God's mercy is greater than my failures.
As for me, I want to do a better job of fulfilling my promises promptly so that, over time, I can be known as someone whose word can be trusted without the need for reminders or follow-up.
If you are not a follower of Jesus and are unsure whether you could stand before God and say that every promise and vow has been perfectly fulfilled, perhaps now is a good time to consider Jesus. None of us have kept every promise. That is why we need God's grace.
If you would like to learn more about Jesus or would simply like me to pray for you, feel free to contact me by email. My email address is listed below.
Have a great day!
Steve
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