As promised, I am going to share with you an example in the Bible of someone who made and kept his vow towards God.
Jephthah was called "a mighty man of valor". However, he was also the son of a prostitute. His brothers who were born to another woman drove him away because of this, and therefore he would not receive any of his father's inheritance. Therefore, he fled and went to live in Tob where he joined thieves and robbers. Then, one day the people of Ammon fought against the people of Israel, and guess who his brothers turned to for help? - Jephthah.
When they approached him and said "Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the people of Ammon" (Judges 11:6), Jephthah replied, "If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?" They agreed.
The king of Ammon refused to accept Jephthah's words through his messengers not to fight against Israel for allegedly taking away their land when Israel came out of Egypt. Jephthah decided to make a pact with God by saying "If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering." (Judges 11:30,31)
To cut a long story short, Jephthah was victorious in battle and on returning home guess what ‘animal’ came out of the doors of his house that he vowed to sacrifice? A bull..., a goat..., a lamb..., - His only daughter!
Look what this man did! Did he tell God he made a mistake? Did he go back on his word? Did he say, "God, you understand now that I can't give my only daughter as a burnt offering?" No! He went ahead and fulfilled his promise to God.
Because of his pact with God, not only was he victorious in battle, he remained a judge over Israel for 6 years and was buried amongst his people. His only daughter’s blood that was shed caused God to honour Jephthah – though he was the son of a harlot!
When they approached him and said "Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the people of Ammon" (Judges 11:6), Jephthah replied, "If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?" They agreed.
The king of Ammon refused to accept Jephthah's words through his messengers not to fight against Israel for allegedly taking away their land when Israel came out of Egypt. Jephthah decided to make a pact with God by saying "If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering." (Judges 11:30,31)
To cut a long story short, Jephthah was victorious in battle and on returning home guess what ‘animal’ came out of the doors of his house that he vowed to sacrifice? A bull..., a goat..., a lamb..., - His only daughter!
Look what this man did! Did he tell God he made a mistake? Did he go back on his word? Did he say, "God, you understand now that I can't give my only daughter as a burnt offering?" No! He went ahead and fulfilled his promise to God.
Because of his pact with God, not only was he victorious in battle, he remained a judge over Israel for 6 years and was buried amongst his people. His only daughter’s blood that was shed caused God to honour Jephthah – though he was the son of a harlot!
It is not physical blood, or someone’s life that God requires from you today. ‘Our blood’ today symbolises our own lives being lived every day as a sacrifice to God; constantly denying our own will.
The moral of this story: Do what Jephthah did and keep the ‘blood’ flowing through the pact you’ve made with God, no matter how hard it may be: doubts, loneliness, anxiety, the past creeping back to haunt you, negative thoughts about your partner, arguments, etc.
God will no doubt complete his part in this agreement you have made with Him, and will continue doing so, for as long as you continue doing yours. Remember that only you can keep this up. By doing so, you are keeping your relationship with God alive.
The moral of this story: Do what Jephthah did and keep the ‘blood’ flowing through the pact you’ve made with God, no matter how hard it may be: doubts, loneliness, anxiety, the past creeping back to haunt you, negative thoughts about your partner, arguments, etc.
God will no doubt complete his part in this agreement you have made with Him, and will continue doing so, for as long as you continue doing yours. Remember that only you can keep this up. By doing so, you are keeping your relationship with God alive.
Where there is no blood, there is no life!
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