In my Bible study we've been studying Jacob's life in Genesis. As Jacob is fleeing from the wrath of his brother, Esau, whom he deceived, he rests at a place later known as Bethel. At this place Jacob has a very vivid dream and when he awakes he declares, "Surely the Lord is in this place!" (Gen. 28:16a) Then Jacob makes a vow to God that if He will be with him and watch over him on his journey and provide for his needs he will declare that the Lord is his God. He also sets up a stone as a pillar and vows that it will be God's house. The third part of his vow to the Lord is that in whatever the Lord gives him, he will return to Him a tenth (or a tithe). (Gen. 28:20-22)
Jacob was overcome by this dream. He was stirred to his very core. God became, not only his parents' God (Isaac and Rebekah), but his own personal, very real God on that day. So much so that Jacob made a vow to the Lord. A vow he planned on keeping.
In our verse of thanks from my last post, A Proper Relationship (April 3), I focused on the first half of the verse. I tried to explain what I had learned about a worthy sacrifice and the condition of our hearts when making our offerings to our holy God. The obedient, repentant, devoted heart bringing an offering of thanksgiving, praise and service to the Lord.
This post is going to focus on the second half about fulfilling our vows to (the Most High) God.
"Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High" Psalm 50:14
In this verse from Psalm 50 the psalmist is presenting a vow to praise. Many prayers in the psalms include these such vows in anticipation of the expected answer to prayer - like Jacob was demonstrating in the above story about his experience with God's revealing Himself in the dream. These vows reflect the idea that praise must follow deliverance as surely as prayer springs from need - if God is to be truly honored.
Here are a couple other examples of these such vows of obedience, dedication and praise:
From Psalm 66, possibly about Judah's remarkable deliverance from the Assyrians (2 Kings 19) we read the following verse:
"I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you - vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble." Psalm 66:13-14
From inside the fish Jonah prays to God. Here is the end of his prayer, with his vow in place, before the Lord commands the fish to spit Jonah onto the shore:
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." Jonah 2:8-9
Let's go back to Genesis and find out if Jacob followed through with his vow. Sadly, I have to tell you that Jacob was not immediately obedient. In fact, it took him about 30 years, 2 wives, 11 sons, at least 1 daughter, many herds, a family tragedy, a family reunion and a couple reminder calls from our Almighty God. (Gen. 31:3, 35:1). Even our patriarch, Jacob, or as God renamed him, Israel, had a problem with procrastination. Delayed obedience is disobedience... disobedience does not set well with God. Procrastination is sin when it comes to fulfilling your promises before God.
Here's what God has to say about breaking vows:
"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
A vow is not to be made rashly, and a vow to the Lord must be kept.
"When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it." Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
In Scripture the fool is not one who cannot learn, but one who refuses to learn. To break a vow is a serious matter and can have disastrous consequences.
Jacob and his family suffered the consequences of delayed obedience... of tarrying in fulfilling a vow. Thankfully, however, they ridded themselves of their idols, cleansed themselves and repented and went back to Bethel where God had called Jacob to live. To take possession of the promised land. God blessed Jacob and his family.
How seriously do we take the vows we make? Are we flippant with our words of promise? When God gets ahold of us, like Jacob, do we pledge our praise, devotion, money, or service? Do we bargain with the Lord? What steps do we take to live out these vows in our everyday lives?
God is patient and kind. He is merciful and just. Only He is holy and worthy of our praise... ALWAYS. Always. How about starting with obedience and follow through? How about offering up thanks in an earnest prayer realizing all that He has given us. How about thanking Him for the things we so often take for granted like life, salvation, sunshine, and so many other things He has given us?
"Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;" Psalm 76:11a
God blesses obedience. Be obedient, fulfill your vows and be blessed... then offer your thanks to the God who loves you!
"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b
No comments:
Post a Comment