Through Ask The Pastor, I get asked a lot of things, but one that came up lately reminds me as to how we need to think when it comes to vows and things like making those New Year's resolutions for the upcoming decade starting with 2020!
Matthew 5:33 – 37, 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. So yes, we need to be sure what we say is what we do.
James 1 talks about being an unstable mind unstable in all they do. Living in an unstable mindset always. God cannot use someone who is double-minded in all they do. So someone who sets out making all sorts of promises about how they'll change for the new year and yet nothing has by year-end, what does it say about them? They're considered unstable according to the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 – 5 says, 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Here's the worst, for people making those vows to God at the start of a new year and don't change at all by yearend - if we haven't fulfilled those vows? We've broken our word to God and He takes no pleasure in us. We look foolish in His eyes. God says for us it's better to not make a vow to Him than to make one and break it.
So for 2020, the new year and new decade to come - make it easier on yourself, let your yes be yes and no be no. That's it.
All the best for 2020, may the Lord be with you and bless you, may His light shine upon you now and always.
In Christ,
Pastor Andrew Robertson
Host of Ask The Pastor since 2009
Saturday afternoon host
