The Commitments, Promises and Vows that We Make

A few weeks ago I came across a church Youth Fellowship membership card that I had carelessly misplaced. I had actually completely forgotten about it and everything related to it. I went through it and wow! the material written in it touched my heart. I was convicted to think about a commitment that I had carelessly made years ago. I had actually not lived up to even a single one of the rules and commitments in the card. Of all the six rules, beginning with "abiding by God's Word", I actually did not meet even one! wow! Worse still, if I remember well, I did not even plan to in the first place; I did not even go through the things written in that card and if I did, it was just a by the way kind of thing, without really paying attention to the things in it.

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment. Matthew 12:36

There was an opportunity for me to be a member and I took it just because I wanted to be a member of that group. I just thought about what I had to gain without giving much attention to what I had to give. Lately I have been thinking about the vows and commitments that we make especially in relation to God. We have actually had this conversation before . I am not sure if people realise the seriousness of the vows that they make to God and the things that concern Him. 

I am talking about such things as my own above experience, marital vows, baptismal and dedication vows, commitment to the work of God, different promises, et cetera. We take our children for baptism and dedication and we make certain vows about the way we are going to raise them; according to the statutes of the Lord; do we realise though that this is serious business, serious commitments made in God. We are bound by those words and held accountable for each word we utter in that commitment. They are not just some words that we say so that we can get what we want; say have our kids baptised. 

So now we actually have to live by them and not just pointing a child to the church when we personally do not have any relationship with the Lord. It requires more than that; see Deuteronomy 6:7. Our pastor gave an example of the promises that we make to God when we want Him to bless us and forget all about it the minute we are blessed, or when we feel that we have something to lose; not remembering or ignoring the fact that the commitment still stands even if we have changed our minds.

Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 18:18

The writer of Ecclesiastes advises that it is "Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. 5:5" Because God is not man...This especially referring to words uttered carelessly...In these conversations we wondered if some of the things happening in our lives are fruits or consequences of the commitments that we made to or through the Lord, that we never lived up to or completely forgot about. Something to think about and revisit, I know; I believe that the Lord is a God of second chances and there is always hope. Nevertheless, I try to be careful about the vows that I make, knowing that I will be held accountable.

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Matthew 12:37