Psalm 56 (New International Version, ©2011)
12 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
I have never thought much about making a vow to God. But, if you look at the definition of a VOW--a solemn pledge (to oneself or to another or to a deity) to do something or to behave in a certain manner. Of course the most popular vows we take are our wedding vows. Priests take vows of celibacy. Some take vows of silence. But how many of us have taken a vow to God. When we turn our lives to God it makes it sound like God has all the responsibility and we have none. Yet, our solemn pledge to God to turn our lives to him and to do as he would have us do, that is a vow. Just as in a marriage. The vow is two sided. Both the husband and the wife share the responsibility of fulfilling the vow. As a matter of fact, the vow can't be one sided. If it is the marriage is not going to last.
Our Marriage to God, or our Vow to him also can't be one sided. I can guarantee you that God will follow through with his part. The question is will we? I think that is what James was talking about.
I will present my thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
I have never thought much about making a vow to God. But, if you look at the definition of a VOW--a solemn pledge (to oneself or to another or to a deity) to do something or to behave in a certain manner. Of course the most popular vows we take are our wedding vows. Priests take vows of celibacy. Some take vows of silence. But how many of us have taken a vow to God. When we turn our lives to God it makes it sound like God has all the responsibility and we have none. Yet, our solemn pledge to God to turn our lives to him and to do as he would have us do, that is a vow. Just as in a marriage. The vow is two sided. Both the husband and the wife share the responsibility of fulfilling the vow. As a matter of fact, the vow can't be one sided. If it is the marriage is not going to last.
Our Marriage to God, or our Vow to him also can't be one sided. I can guarantee you that God will follow through with his part. The question is will we? I think that is what James was talking about.
James 2:26
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also afaith without works is dead.
Our Vow with God is the most important vow we will ever take. We must commit ourselves to completely fulfilling that vow by devoting our lives to God. We must devote ourselves to his purposes. We must make the vow to grow in our understanding of him.
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