Leviticus 27:14-21: a reflection

14“‘When a man dedicates his house to be holy to the LORD, then the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall stand. 15If he who dedicates it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall be his. 16“‘If a man dedicates to the LORD part of the field of his possession, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it. The sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver. 17If he dedicates his field from the Year of Jubilee, according to your valuation it shall stand. 18But if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the priest shall reckon to him the money according to the years that remain to the Year of Jubilee; and an abatement shall be made from your valuation. 19If he who dedicated the field will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall remain his. 20If he will not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more; 21but the field, when it goes out in the Jubilee, shall be holy to the LORD, as a devoted field. It shall be owned by the priests.

In the laws about vows, God gives instructions for one who dedicates his house or field to the LORD. When a man dedicates his house to be holy to the LORD, or part of his field, it is set apart for God, valued by the priest, and belongs to him unless redeemed. The dedication was a serious matter: what a person devoted to God became holy, set apart for him, and could not simply be taken back at will. To dedicate something to God was to make a real commitment, giving it over to him; and such a dedication was to be honored, not lightly made or carelessly withdrawn. What was devoted to God was truly his.

Notice the seriousness of dedicating something to God. When a person devoted his house or field to the LORD, it became holy, set apart for God; it was not a casual gesture but a real commitment, giving the thing over to God. The dedication was to be honored; what was devoted became God's, and could not simply be reclaimed at whim. To dedicate something to God was to make a genuine commitment, one that God took seriously and expected to be honored. The vow of dedication was not to be made lightly or withdrawn carelessly; what a person devoted to God was truly given, and the giving was to be honored as real.

That is worth taking to heart, for what we dedicate or devote to God is a serious commitment, to be honored, not lightly made or carelessly withdrawn. We can make dedications to God lightly, devoting our time, our resources, ourselves to him in a moment of feeling, and then reclaim them carelessly when it suits us; but God took the dedication of a house or field seriously, as a real commitment to be honored. What we devote to God is truly his, and the giving is to be honored. Do not make dedications to God lightly or withdraw them carelessly; what you devote to him is a serious commitment, to be honored as real. Honor what you have dedicated or devoted to God as a serious commitment, truly given and not to be carelessly reclaimed, as the house or field dedicated to the LORD became holy to him; for God takes seriously what we devote to him, and our dedications are real commitments to be honored, not lightly made and lightly withdrawn.

Lord, in the laws about vows, you give instructions for one who dedicates his house or field to you. When a man dedicates his house to be holy to the LORD, or part of his field, it is set apart for you, valued by the priest, and belongs to you unless redeemed. The dedication was a serious matter: what a person devoted to you became holy, set apart for you, and could not simply be taken back at will. To dedicate something to you was to make a real commitment; and such a dedication was to be honored, not lightly made or carelessly withdrawn. Show me the seriousness of dedicating something to you. When a person devoted his house or field to you, it became holy, set apart for you; it was not a casual gesture but a real commitment. The dedication was to be honored; what was devoted became yours, and could not simply be reclaimed at whim. To dedicate something to you was to make a genuine commitment, one that you took seriously and expected to be honored. Take that to my heart, for what I dedicate or devote to you is a serious commitment, to be honored, not lightly made or carelessly withdrawn. I can make dedications to you lightly, devoting my time, my resources, myself to you in a moment of feeling, and then reclaim them carelessly when it suits me; but you took the dedication of a house or field seriously. What I devote to you is truly yours. Keep me from making dedications to you lightly or withdrawing them carelessly; what I devote to you is a serious commitment, Lord. Help me honor what I have dedicated to you as truly given, not to be carelessly reclaimed.