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REFLECTION

A “rash vow” is the theme for our reflection. To rush means to “move with urgent haste. A vow means to “solemnly promise to do a specified thing. A rush vow, therefore, means to solemnly promise to do a specified thing with urgent haste without reflecting on the consequences or ramifications of the vow made. In our Scripture reading, we discover that Jephtar the leader of Israel appointed by God to lead Israel to fight against the Ammonites made a rush vow to the Lord when he said “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering… (Judges 11:30-31). Dear friend, not even an expert in a lottery or sports betting will make such a reckless and hasty vow, considering the fact that a human being’s life could be at risk. Unfortunately for Jephtar, his daughter, who was his only child, was the one who first came out of the door to meet him after the Lord had given him victory over the Ammonites. (Judges 11:34-35,38-39). He made a rush vow and had to painfully and regrettably fulfil it through human sacrifice.

Dear friend, this is one of the most tragic stories in the Bible, yet it teaches us the importance and seriousness of making a vow and fulfilling it. We are not prohibited from making a vow but no matter how desperate we are in achieving a particular goal or desire, let us be guided or measured in our utterance before the Lord, most importantly when making a vow. God had already given an assurance of victory to Jephtar, therefore, such a costly and hasty vow was needless. A vow is not made to motivate God to do something for us, a vow is made out of our own volition of what we intend to do in a form of appreciation in return for God’s answer to our prayer. It is, for this reason, a vow must be reasonable and not burdensome. A vow must be made according to our ability to fulfil it. During prayer and fundraising programs, many people make unrealistic vows before God that they are unable to fulfil. In some instances, pastors or prophets erroneously or misguidedly lead people during worship services to make certain vows that are beyond the vow maker’s fulfilment. The lesson is simple, make a vow that is pleasing to God and that can be fulfilled without any dire consequences.

One important lesson we learn from Jephtar’s commitment to worship and his relationship with God is that regardless of the fact that his vow to the Lord was hasty and reckless, he said “I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break. ” (Judges 11:35) Beloved in the Lord, what kind of vow have made to the Lord and have you been able to fulfil it. The importance of fulfiling one’s vow cannot be overemphasized, Deuteronomy 23:21-23 admonishes us that “If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.” Again Malachi 1:14 urges us to fulfil exactly that which we have vowed to do for the Lord, failure to do so may come with a curse “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king, ” says the LORD Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.” This is another reason we must be measured in the vows we make. Let us not make vows in a rush to God. Usually, vows are made when we are in anticipation of an answer to a prayer or when we need God to fulfil a need or desire in our lives. It goes to reason that, when God answers our prayers, we are obligated to fulfil our vows, and this is exactly what Jephtar did except that his sacrifice was his own child. The Psalmist teaches that as believers when the Lord has granted us success in our endeavours, we must fulfil all vows made by saying “I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfil my vows to you—vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble. (Psalms 66:13-14). May the Lord help us to fulfil our vows to the glory of His Holy name. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, guide and help us to be measured in our utterances and vows made before the Lord. Strengthen us to fulfil our vows as our appreciation to the Lord for all His mighty deeds in our lives. Amen