THURSDAY - 28TH APRIL, 2022
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
DON'T HURT YOURSELF IN VOWING - Vow Series 002
I Samuel 1:10-11, KJV
"10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou...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."
In all your vowing; please, don't hurt yourself. I said a thing yesterday in Series 001 on the mercy of vowing. It is with God but He has given it to the children of men. God has already being tender to all human kind in that we set the terms both for He and ourselves. Since people have been coming to God, He has not before specified to them what their obligation would be towards Him on vowing. The reason might not be far fetched. He wants them to be able to bear the burden they'll measure unto themselves. However, as far as we all know and we'll agree with, many men amidst men have not lived up to this in spite of God's mercy that allows them set the terms. Why should you hurt yourself? Is there anyone here who a billionaire you know so would give an open cheque to for a sum you yourself prefers who won't seek to please himself even if he'll show mercy in his request to that freewill giver? If you'll in that wise decide to your favour, you should in vowing be reasonable and not allow your importunity dictate to you. Does the scripture not says, if prophecy, prophesy according to the proportion of your faith (Rom.12:6, KJV)." If there's a thing like that which seeks to regulate by what faith, boldness, assurance and veracity (big or small) people prophesy, I'm thinking you should vow in proportion to what you could conveniently pay. Introspect before you vow and set your obligation in accordance to what won't break you or later get deferred.
God is not saying, "impress me by vowing." He already stated clearly that you don't need to vow especially if you won't fulfill it. Vowing is not the primary way given us to make our requests known to God. It is in praying and exercising faith! Praying by holding God's promises and prophecies to Him is enough as that our Father who's in heaven even honours his Word above His name (Matthew 6:5-13, Psalm 138:2). So, watch it! Whenever you're to make a vow, let the terms favour you. Don't think God would be displeased if you choose the most insignificant thing to do like "joining the social workers to clean the church only or doing the least of the least." Also, let me advise you if you're proud or egoistic, don't set as your obligation to God the doing of a humiliating or flesh crucifying thing. It's not because I want you to remain proud. It's so that you won't defer paying it since Satan might begin to ask you to reconsider and you might think, "a whole I rolling on the floor and what would my fans think." Simply put, each should choose obligation to God in the area of their strength where their faithfulness is easily given. So, it is not how big or small your obligation to God is that moves or dissuades Him from answering. If that be, collecting things from God through vowing would have been the easiest thoroughfare which everybody would be threading to have their demands. One would tell God, "if you could give me 100,000,000 this month, I'll pay 20% to church." Even despite how profitable this request and deal is to any mind reading it, you'll agree some men with cunning, crooked, and unfaithful life would still want to review the deal later wondering what God would do with that whole half. Even when God does not allow any condition arise as need or unforseen contingency i.e medical crisis that may claim their own fifty million off, they'll still say, "God's too much." I ask, did you not halve the money to God? But let me tell you, if you suddenly discover at that time that an operation for you or a beloved would cost 50 million exactly to execute, go ahead and not cultivate thought of making any of the vowed 20% of God yours. It can't but be the test of Abraham whom God gave a child and demanded same from him. He was faithful and God gave him a ram instead of his son. You'll be shocked to find the disease suddenly disappear at the final checkup for the surgery if you've proved your faithfulness by sending God's half to church yet in the face of that crisis. God would regard you as very faithful and you won't have to pay bills for operation again since God has become your salvation now.
People, set terms in proportion to what you could pay and not what you're asking. Hannah did herself that favour. How did I know that to a good extent? "But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever (I Samuel 1:22, KJV).
Did you see determination there that she really meant to keep that vow? She missed Shiloh until the boy would be ready to be packaged as a give away to God. Her heart of wanting to give Samuel away is indeed revealed in her confession to Elkanah. It is what you find not too heavy to do you become prompt and decisive with. Did you see her promptness and decision there? Hannah thus sure set an obligation she'll be able to pay. She needs a child and to her, it could just be to erase the reproach that she's barren in life. She seems not to worry much as to whether the child grows up with her or not. That's the prove! Don't be unnecessarily moved to inflate what you'll do which you may not do because you feel as human, "I must balance the equation. If He'll be doing this much for me, I must do unto him that much also." It's written no where on vowing. Rather, faithfulness to whatsoever you have set by heart or mouth is what matters in vowing. You won't lose credit worthiness with God if you're a quick payer of your vows. He'll esteem and have great regard for you.
PRAYER: Let me have a revelation of what the prayer of faith is and its importance as to know I don't need vowing. I grow in faith and grace to pull and receive. I vow according to the proportion of my faithfulness.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Judges 7:1-8:17; Luke 23:13-43; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 14:7-8
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