FEB 8

Ecclesiastes 5:4-7
Memorise Ecclesiastes 5:4
"but fear thou God"

CAN WE VOW VOWS? (II)

The law given for vows was not just for the Old Testament, but continues to the present. Even today, we must continue to heed such a warning, for God is the same God, who will hold us to our word, and therefore we must be careful not to foolishly declare things we do not mean. This is the testimony of my principal and also the founder of the BP Church in Singapore, Rev Timothy Tow. His mother dedicated him as a baby to be a full time servant of the Lord, and this is his testimony with regards to that:

"I was a rebellious son who broke my mother’s vow. As a result, my mother’s death was quickly followed up in five weeks by my seven month daughter’s death. Realising the error of breaking my mother’s vow, I thoroughly repented. By his mercies, He restored me to his favour. He has sustained me to this day in my service of him. Here is a lesson for every one of you who has vowed or solemnly promised before the Lord. See that you do not smother the words you had uttered before the Lord." (Timothy Tow, Lessons from the University of Life, 37) In writing his testimony, he was very frank and open to share that it was because he refused the will of God in his life, and did not want to fulfil his mother’s vow, that he wanted to go to England to study law, instead of becoming a pastor. Therefore the Lord intervened, and took away the life of his mother and daughter, before he finally yielded and gave his life to the Lord.

Once we make a vow, there is no turning back, and God will hold you to your word. Just as God can bless you if you show yourself to be a man of your word, God can just as quickly destroy the work of your hands, and bring to naught all that you vainly strive to accomplish. Again the idea of dreams and words are brought up, and in this context to describe the fact that the fool who does not guard his mouth, but makes vain vows and promises would lead to divers vanities.

In our present day, we make membership vows when we get baptised and join a church. We make wedding vows when we get married. Pastors have ordination vows when they are ordained to the ministry. All these must be taken seriously, with all gravity, for they are vows made to the Lord!

Thought: What other vows do Christians make?
Prayer: Lord, help me to be careful with every word I make before Thee.