Deuteronomy 23:21-25: a reflection

21When you vow a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not be slack to pay it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you. 22But if you refrain from making a vow, it shall be no sin in you. 23You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to the LORD your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do. 24When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat your fill of grapes at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your container. 25When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.

Among these laws is one about vows made to God: When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to fulfill it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin in you. It adds that there is no obligation to make a vow at all; but once you have made one, once a promise has gone out of your lips, you must do what you said. What we promise God, we are bound to keep.

Notice the seriousness the law attaches to our promises to God. We are free not to vow; God does not require us to make promises. But a promise made to God is not a light thing to be forgotten or delayed; it is to be kept, for God takes our word seriously even when we do not. The law guards against the easy sin of making commitments to God in a moment of feeling and then failing to follow through.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is easy to make promises to God, especially in times of need or strong feeling, and then to let them slip once the moment passes. We promise God we will change, we will serve, we will give, we will follow through, and then we forget or delay. But God takes our word seriously; better not to promise than to promise and not keep it. Do not make commitments to God lightly, in the heat of a moment you will not honor later. And the promises you have made to him, keep; do not delay or let them slip. Let your word to God be reliable, followed through, a thing of integrity, for he takes seriously what you have vowed.

Lord, your law says that when I make a vow to you, I must not delay to fulfill it, for you take my word seriously even when I do not; better not to vow than to vow and not keep it. Teach me the seriousness of my promises to you. It is easy for me to make promises to you, especially in times of need or strong feeling, and then to let them slip once the moment passes. I promise you I will change, will serve, will give, will follow through, and then I forget or delay. Keep me from making commitments to you lightly, in the heat of a moment I will not honor later. And help me keep the promises I have made to you, not delaying or letting them slip. Let my word to you be reliable, followed through, a thing of integrity. Make me faithful to what I have vowed, for you take seriously what I promise. Let me be a person whose word to you is kept.