Bread And Wine

Psalm 116:14 (KJV)
“I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.”

Let shift our focus to consider what makes vow a potent force. The first thing to note is that it derives its power from the commitment it involves. The fact that it shows sign of delivering something back to God is a major attraction. Effective prayer communication with God requires commitment on the part of the petitioner. Many people pray one sided prayer. They reel out a long list of what God should do for them. That paints a father Christmas picture of God, to put it mildly. Actually those who have this mentality are only using God to serve their purposes; whereas we are the ones who ought to serve His purposes.

The other point we have going for vow is that it gives opportunity for God to test if we have any regards for our words. You see, in spiritual parlance a lot of importance is placed on the spoken words. Even God is bound by the words He has spoken. He is under the authority of His words. God wants all His children to believe His word. He wants them to know that whatever He says He would do will indeed come to pass. But how can they believe the word of Him whom they have not seen. The job of taking God at His word will have been a bit easier if we can but take our own words serious. It is simple enough, if we don’t respect the words that we speak neither are we going to believe what another man speaks, and much less what God says.

On the other hand, if when we make a promise we live up to it, we will assure ourselves that if we mortal men are faithful the divine One without limit or limitation will much more come through with His promises.

FURTHER STUDY: ECCLESIASTES 5:1-6

PRAYER
Give me the grace to say and do.

Psalm 66:13-14 (NKJV)
“I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.”

The passage for meditation today is stressing what we shared yesterday. Most vows are made in desperate conditions. People in Bible days take to vow when they are in danger of attack or are in need of some long due blessing.

What we need to add today is the fact that the vows that people made were of their own free volition. They were not compelled to do it by a second or a third party. Let us recall the two examples we used yesterday. When the elders of Gilead approached Jephthah to lead them in battle against the band of the Ammonites, they never pressed him to take a vow. It was an act of Jephthah’s own personal faith of courting the partnership of God that he made the vow. Consider as well the story of Hannah. No doubt her husband was concerned about her plight. Though it is not on record but we will not be wrong that his wife’s condition must have been top on his list in their yearly ritual at Shiloh. We cannot expect any less because the Bible records that he loved Hannah.

But Elkanah had no hand in the vow that Hannah took. It was a personal expression of her faith in God. The lesson we draw today is this: vows, now as at then, are still powerful spiritual force. But we should take vows only on personal conviction, and not because someone ask us to do it or we have seen others do it. If you do it simply to impress people it is of no consequence.

FURTHER STUDY: PSALM 22:1-25

PRAYER
Dear God, draw me close to You; and strengthen my faith.

Psalm 50:14-15 (NKJV)
“Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

One dictionary defines vow as a solemn promise to perform an act, carry out a duty, or behave in a certain way. The Bible is full of examples of people who employed the tool of vow to certain end. Ever before conception, Hannah had pledged to return to the Lord’s service the male child she asked for. She got Samuel who she accordingly gave to the Lord. In compensation for this God gave her additional four children. Jephthah made a vow to the Lord before his battle with the children of Ammon. He also did as He promised the Lord. Of course we read of many instances where David showed eagerness to fulfill the vows he made.

From several considerations in the Bible, it would appear that vows were often employed in desperate situations. Jephthah made his vow to the Lord when the battle seemed but lost to the elders of Gilead. His vow brought a turn-around in the dwindling fortunes of the people. Also in the case of Hannah, she had been the butt of cruel jokes as a result of her childless situation. The other wife of her husband had literally become an adversary (1 Samuel 1:6). Her life was becoming unbearable, seeing those who ought to be sympathetic to her plight becoming adversary. That drove her to the vow she made while praying at Shiloh. Her lips moved but no mortal one heard the words of her mouth. So chronic was her expression that the prophet Eli took her for a hopeless drunk. But when he knew the reason for her agonizing prayer he added an “amen” to her prayers.

Vows are still powerful today. Only we should be reminded that whatever we vow we are bound to redeem. God does not delight in sacrifices of fools.

FURHTER STUDY: PSALM 76:1-11

PRAYER
Help me, dear God, to follow through with the vows I have made.

Deuteronomy 4:7 (NKJV)
“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?”

In our meditation yesterday we hinted that from start to finish God is involved. But there is a caveat to this. God is involved with us to choose, perform and perfect only as we engage Him formally. This is the meaning we can impute to our passage today. God is near to His people only for the causes that they call upon Him for.

Imagine how massive the wall of Jericho stood. But by the help of the Lord Israel conquered. Then came little Ai. There the people of God felt confident of their own ability. Actually they were over confident. They did not border to ask God for help or direction. They presumed upon the little city, and they suffered their firs defeat. Where was God when Israel turned their back in defeat? God was still God on His throne in Heaven. Why did He not help them? Because they did not ask Him for help!

God will forever live in deference to His word. Hear what proverbs 26:17 says: “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.” (NKJV). Until you consult God on an issue He may not step in, because He is not a meddler. Nothing must be seen to be too big or too small to turn over to God. We have been encouraged to cast every care on Him. Prayer is the means by which we formally invite God to the issues of our life. It is a way of telling God that without Him we can do nothing.

FURTHER STUDY: MARK 4:35-41

PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from the sin of presumption.

John 6:28-29 (NKJV)
‘Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”‘

Jesus was once asked what He thought to be the first and the greatest commandment. Without mincing words He pointed out it was love for God. Love for our fellow beings ranks the next. These are the pillars holding all the other commandments in place.

This time around they asked Him what it would take to do the work of God. Curiously He told them the only work that God expected from the people was to believe! On the surface this is cheap. But probing deeper and having an understanding of what the word means, it is indeed a tall order. To believe is to have implicit trust in the works of Him that was sent by God. By implication we are to rest on His unchanging grace. If there is anything we find hard to do it is to rest.

But really there is hardly anything we are to do. He is the one that determines our lot. Psalm 47:4 says, “He will choose our inheritance for us…” (Psalm 47:4, NKJV). Besides choosing for us He is also the One who performs for us. “For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such things are with Him.” (Job 23:14, NKJV).

Finally, once God begins to perform He brings to perfection. That is why Psalm 138:8 says, “The LORD will perfect that which concerns me…” (NKJV). So, if God chooses, performs and perfects, what is our work? To keep trusting Him! Our job is to believe that He is able to keep whatever is committed unto Him. We are to rest by faith that what He started in us and for us, He is able to complete.

FURTHER STUDY: PSALM 37:1-11

PRAYER
Lord, give me grace to trust You more.