Bible Reading: 1 Sam. 1,2 &3. Luke 8:29-56.
“And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” – 1 Samuel 1:11 (KJV)
A vow is a solemn promise, pledge or commitment made to perform or to abstain from performing a certain thing within a time frame or upon happening of an event. Hannah had sought for a child for so long without any positive result. So she decided to make a vow to God as seen in1 Samuel 1:11
A vow is usually voluntary and made to achieve a purpose. A number of people make vows based on emotions and the peculiarity of their circumstances. Whenever such vows are made, it is sacred and must be honoured. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 (KJV), “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” Breaking such vows is, therefore, a sin. Deuteronomy 23:21 (KJV), “When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.”
It is therefore important that you do not rush to make a vow or pledge. It is common in some churches to call for pledges and people make all sorts of promises. Note that you do not have to make a pledge. (Eccl 5:5). God is angry with vow breakers and will sanction them. Ecclesiastes 5:6 (KJV) says, “Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” Several people are missing out on their blessings because they are vow breakers. On the other hand, when you fulfill your vows, God looks down from heaven and bless you more. Thus, after fulfilling her vow, God blessed Hannah the more! 1 Samuel 2:21 (KJV): “And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.”
Action Point: Please examine yourself if you have made any vow that you are yet to fulfill and work towards honouring it urgently while asking for mercy from God.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero