That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth. Deuteronomy 23:23
Every day, millions of people make promises about something to someone. This can be promises to other people or to God. At the same time, there are millions of people who break their promises and do not fulfill what they said they would do.
Breaking the promise is such a common problem that people have to sign extremely detailed contracts to make promises about many things. These contracts are legally binding writings stating that the person will do what was promised, or there will be consequences.
During the time of Moses, having a written contract was not common; it was just the word of the person. God tells them that they must keep their promise, because it was the person who freely, from his own mouth, made the promise.
It does not matter why or how the promise was made; it must be kept, despite the consequences. People will come up with every excuse possible as to why they have to break the promise. Yet, it must be kept. God holds the person accountable for that promise.
Many people will also make a sudden, rash promise to God in the heat of the moment. Ofte,n this is done to make God happy with them and to get Him to change the situation. God will hold that person responsible for that promise.
God always keeps every promise He has ever made. He is and will be faithful forever to His word. Believers are to be just like God and keep their promises. They are not to suddenly refuse to keep the promise, regardless of how hard it may be to keep it.
Jesus kept His promise to you in providing you salvation and forgiveness for your sins. Keeping His promise cost Him His life. He had to die on the cross in order to keep His promise to save you.
Each day, you have options on what you will say and what you will do. As a believer, you must always be a person of your word. Fulfill every promise that you make. Every time you make a promise to anyone, remember that you are also making that promise to God, and He will hold you accountable.
Be careful what you say, and always keep your promise.
I pray today that you will only speak what God wants you to say; that God will strengthen you to keep your word; that God will see you as faithful to your word; and that God will help you to keep from making rash promises.
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom
