Broken Promises

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands” (Eccl. 5:4-6)

The text is not referring to the everyday general or specific promises we make with man; it has isolated the “vows” or promises made to the Eternal Living God, the Creator of all that is in the heavens and the earth, the Supreme Sovereign over everyone and everything – GOD! So, let us get fixed in our minds that the reference is to what promises we make to GOD. Have we all not made various promises to God, though we may deem them vague, half-hearted, “maybe I can take these back later if I don’t need them” thoughts? In short, “they are promises but only if we do not change our minds later.” BUT, OH NO!!! Before God, a promise is indeed a promise and has no windows for future changes at the whim of the one promising. They are permanently inscribed in the heavenly books of accountings. They must be paid promptly!

Definitions: 1. “defer”: procrastinate, delay, be late. 2. “pay”: complete, make good. 3. “fool”: stupid, foolish. 4. “flesh”: person, body. 5. “before”: in the face of. 6. “angel”: messenger, one who is God’s representative. 7. “error”: mistake. 8. “angry”: to crack off, to bust out in a rage. 9. “work”: activities, actions.

Remember Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11? Please, now would be a good moment to do so. You will find a perfect example of what these passages in Ecclesiastes are warning every individual.

If you have made a promise, any kind of promise, to God, do not procrastinate in completing or making good on that promise. If you do not quickly strive to make full payment of your account, you are playing the part of a stupid, foolish person. This is especially true if that promise has been made in the face of God’s messenger, that is, preacher or pastor. Do not try to pass it off as a mistake; if you made it, you had better make good on it! Not to do so is to provoke the anger of God, and your end may be as Ananias and Sapphira. God expects payment in full in every promise. Balance the books!!!