PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
COMMITMENT OF VOWS
Devotional
Text: JUDGES 11:30-40
Introduction:
The exercise of faith through the commitment of vows is a
challenging faith principle which seeks to attract a divine solution to a specific problem(s) by vowing to give
to God a specified gifts(s), if He
responds to a specified request(s).
Generally speaking, the exercise of faith borders on believing and acting on
God’s words for a desired result. But, in crucial cases, people may be moved to
go beyond the foregoing to a specified commitment in vows, as a way of
challenging God for a definite result(s).
GENERAL
REMARKS
(1) Commitment
of vow is not a manipulative means for fund raising, (Genesis 28:20-22).
(2) Commitment
of vow advocates that God does something first for one before one does
in return for God (Genesis 28:20-22).
(3) Commitment
of vow is a personal and a conditional commitment, (I Samuel 1:10-11).
(4) Commitment
of vow advocates that one fulfils what one vows, (Deut. 23:21-23).
JACOB’S
EXAMPLE OF COMMITMENT OF VOW, (GENESIS 28:20-22)
Life’s
extreme situations in most cases inform the commitment of vows. Jacob as a
result of his brother’s threat was exposed to the dangers of life in the
wilderness. His ordeals informed his need for divine security, providence and guidance. Jacob’s extremely unpleasant and
difficult experience motivated him to declare in a vow that if God would see
him through that;
(i)
he would be his God
(ii)
he would build a house for Him
(iii)
he would given Him the tithe of all his blessings.
“Man’s extremity they say is God’s Opportunity”. The life of Jacob
gives credence to this noble saying. In most cases, our extremely difficult
problems give God the opportunity to reveal and show Himself strong (See
Genesis 28:10-16). So don’t give up!
JEPHATHAH’S
EXAMPLE OF COMMITMENT OF VOW, (JUDGES 11:30-31).
What informed
Jephthah’s commitment of vows were political and social problems. Jephthah was
a social outcast. His mother was a prostitute. So, his brothers capitalized on
his illegitimate birth and drove him out of his father’s compound. However, God
was working out Jephthah’s re-integration by allowing a political situation
that would make his people be on the look-out for him. Therefore, Jephthah’s
political victory for his people would mean social victory for himself. It was
on the instance of fighting the Ammonites for the political freedom of Israel
that he made his vow unto God. Today our Ammonites may typologically be
political, social, economic or spiritual problems. They may also be in the form
of sickness, barrenness, setbacks, and disturbances from witchcrafts, family
curses, mental retardation and more.
Therefore,
like Jephthah, Jacob and Hannah whose examples are cited in this work, one can
enter into a sincere and secret commitment of vows in the course of fighting
the battles of life. This faith principle is still applicable today.
No comments:
Post a Comment