Sometimes we hesitate to make promises. This hesitation might stem from a fear of failing to keep them, or at times, from simply lacking the motivation or inspiration to commit to a promise or vow. As a result, we may resort to phrases like “we’ll see,” “maybe,” or “if I can.” While this cautious approach can sometimes be wise, it becomes problematic when used as an excuse to avoid committing to something we know we ought to do.
Psalm 76 gives us a little more insight into vows and our spiritual walk. The Psalm, written by Asaph, celebrates and praises God. Asaph praise psalm focuses on God’s awesome power, righteous judgment, and ultimate authority over all nations and powers. It is a magnificent psalm. At the end of Asaph’s psalm, he calls his audience to action:
Make vows to the Lord your God, and pay them;
Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.
He shall cut off the spirit of princes;
He is awesome to the kings of the earth.
Asaph urges his audience to make vows to God in recognition of His awe-inspiring power, righteous judgment, and supreme sovereignty. However, it is not enough merely to make vows of worship and service—they must also be kept. It was their duty to make vows and keep them to honor the Creator of the Universe and the Judge of every soul.
This call to action is directly applicable to our lives. Just like Asaph’s original audience, we too should be inspired to make vows of service and worship to God. His power, judgment, and sovereignty should motivate us to WANT to make and keep oaths of service to God.
We’ve already learned the importance of being cautious and deliberate when making vows to God. However, there are times when we avoid making promises to God altogether. This avoidance should be a red flag to us about what it might indicate about our relationship with God and attitude toward Him. It might mean:
🤞 We don’t trust God enough.
🤞 We don’t love God enough.
🤞 We don’t revere God enough.
🤞 We don’t have enough faith in His promises.
🤞We aren’t wholly committed to God.
All of these should be eye-opening to us and lead to immediate change in our lives because God does expect us to make vows to Him. The first vow that God’s presence should inspire us to make is a vow of lifelong service to Him. Once we have made this commitment, and as we grow in our spiritual journey, we should also make more specific vows of service and worship to God.
Make the vows and pay them. #KeepYourWord
Adonai's Appeal 