Be Careful What You Promise

Making a vow, she pleaded, “Lord of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut. 1 Samuel 1:11 HCSB

If someone were to ask you to recall the best advice you have ever received, what would you say? In my case I would think of my dad telling me, “You are only as good as your word.” In other words, if a person says he is going to do something, he needs to follow through and actually do it. If he fails to keep his word or promise, others will never know if they can trust him to actually do what he says he will do. Keeping a promise is very important.

Hannah was desperate to have a child, especially a son. In her desperation she struck a deal with God, promising to give her son to serve the Lord all the days of his life. God took her up on her promise. To Hannah’s credit she followed through and gave her son, Samuel, to serve in the Lords’ house under Eli’s supervision and instruction. It was hard for her to give him up but she followed through with what she said she was going to do regardless of the cost.

Challenge: Be careful what you promise to others and especially what you promise to God. He may take you up on your promise. Too many times people make a promise to God in desperation to get something or have a problem solved, but once the need for God’s help has disappeared, they forget what they have promised. It is dishonest to fail to keep one’s word. God is trustworthy and always keeps His promises and He expects you to do the same.

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