If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay in fulfilling it. – Deuteronomy 23:21
How good is your word? When you say you are going to do something, do you do it? When you promise something to someone, do you give it? People often say they changed their mind and call it good. You never know what a day will bring, circumstances change. James 4:15 advises believers to say, “If it’s the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” The Bible says there are times to keep quiet, especially when it comes to predicting the future or making promises. Ecclesiastes 5:5 states, “It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.”
It is important to God that His people keep their word. David wrote that he who fears the Lord “keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind“ (Psalm 15:4, NIV). And Solomon advised, “Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2). Jesus said, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (Matthew 5:37).
God’s Word is good and you can count on Him to keep His promises. His followers also need to keep their word. As you pray today, ask the Lord to show any areas where you have made a commitment or promise that you have not kept. Then confess and receive God’s forgiveness for those times, making amends as He leads. Pray for the people of the United States, particularly Christians, to keep their word. And remember, as you vote, to look for candidates who stay true to their word.
Today’s Verse: Deuteronomy 23:21
If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: James 4:13-17
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
