KEEP YOUR PROMISES

 

Eccl. 5:4-6a So when you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools.  Keep all the promises you make to him.  It is better to say nothing than to promise something that you don’t follow through on.  In such cases, your mouth is causing you to sin.  NLT

      We need to take what we say to God seriously.  Many make promises to God they never keep.  There may be times of great stress and difficulty and you may promise God that if He would get you out of the mess you are in that you would devote yourself to Him in ways you never have before.  You may promise Him full reign of your heart.  You may promise Him your devoted service.  We make all kind of promises to God, but they are meaningless if we don’t keep them. In fact, they are much more than broken promises; God declares them to be sin.

       What kind of promises have you made to God?  Have you kept them?  Take a moment and ask the Lord to remind you of the promises you have made to Him.  Maybe you have forgotten all about them over time, but if you ask Him to, the Lord will remind you of them.  God commands you to keep your word to Him.  If your situation has changed and it is no longer feasible or possible to keep your promise, ask the Lord to forgive you and help you to not make promises you won’t keep from now on.

      Why would we expect God to keep His promises to us if we don’t keep our promises to Him?  A person who loves someone does not make empty promises.  God commands truthfulness from His children and we are not being truthful if we make empty promises to Him.

       It is far better to keep silent and not say anything at all to the Lord than it is to make promises you don’t keep.  Don’t sin against the Lord by not keeping your word to Him.  If you need to ask the Lord to put a zip on your lip, do it.  Eternity is a long time to think about the empty promises you have made to Him and not kept.