January 7, 2024

Passage Read: Deuteronomy 20-23
Meditation Verses: 23:21-23

Thought

It is better not to vow than to vow and not fulfill it. In fact, a vow should be fulfilled as quickly as possible. It is sin to fail to fulfill a vow, but it is not sin to keep from making a vow! God is not one who takes promises lightly; if we promise Him something, He expects us to fulfill our promise as quickly as possible. We cannot say we didn't mean it, because God holds us accountable for every word that comes from our mouths, even the careless words.

Application

God takes our words at face value, and so should we. Other people learn from our words and our actions whether we are trustworthy or not, whether we are people of integrity or not. If we carelessly "promise" something and someone hears it, we had better make good on the promise, otherwise, we're damaging our own reputation. With God, it's even more so: We're either a liar or we're truthful. To lie is sin, especially when we lie to God. I need to be very careful of my words, what I say, and be aware of what others hear, because promises, whether explicit or implicit, need to be fulfilled. Better not to create any expectations than to raise hopes and not fulfill.