A Promise Is Binding...Forever

Numbers 30:1-2 - Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: “This is what the Lord commands: 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.

Moses called the leaders of the tribes together to let them know God’s feelings on a woman making a vow to him. They were binding for life…with few exceptions. Making a vow to God was serious business. Only a father or a husband could nullify a vow a woman made to God.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 expands this thought to everyone.  It says… “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.  It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. And let’s push this thought one more time and say that any promise you make to anyone should be kept.

I have to admit quickly that I have broken many promises…to God … my family…and others God has let me cross paths with.  The list of people I have promised something…then decided later it was better to do something else is long.  I needed the reminder that breaking my word also breaks the trust others have in me. Oh how thankful I am that in God’s great mercy he has forgiven me of all these costly mistakes and is rebuilding the trust he needs me to have to work more effectively for him. It has taken some time….but He is even using some of my mistakes to his good.

Father…thank you for the reminder that my word should be a true measure of who I am…and making a vow to you ...or anyone else is serious business. Forgive me of all the times I have backed out of a promise. Help my yes to be yes…and my no to be no.  Keep revealing the many times that I have broken promises so I can make amends when it is called for. Show me how to use the mistakes I made to glorify you and help others to know you better.  Amen.