Prayers and Promises

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. – Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

Yesterday, we began a conversation about how to take care of business with God. The first step we discussed is to be discreet in entering the presence of God. This way, we can have a posture of listening to our Heavenly Father. If you missed yesterday’s devotion, I would strongly encourage you to go back and read it. But for now, let’s continue our discussion.

The second step to taking care of business with God is to be deliberate in offering your prayers to God. When you talk to God, there is no such thing as an “off-handed” remark. Everything about God is serious. When you pray to the God of the universe, you had better think through your words very carefully. And while, yes, it’s true that Jesus is our friend, that doesn’t mean we talk to Him with any less respect than He deserves. We need to be mindful of how we’re talking to the Lord.

Finally, the third step is to be determined in keeping your promises to God. God keeps every promise He makes to you, and He wants you to keep every promise that you make to Him. You don’t have to make any promises to God that He doesn’t ask you for, but if you make one, you keep it.

On the one hand, Solomon says when you make a promise to God, don’t procrastinate in keeping it, hoping things will change so you can get out of it or hoping God will forget you made the promise to begin with. It is better not to make a promise than to make a promise and not be able to keep it or to make a promise that you know you shouldn’t keep.

If you follow these three steps, you are sure to take care of business with God the way Scripture instructs you to.

Dear Lord, thank you for the wise words of Solomon. I pray that you will help me to be deliberate in my prayers and determined to keep the promises I make to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.