Stupid Vow

There’s a comedian that does a show called: “You Can’t Fix Stupid” and it’s quite a colorful look at some of the stupid things we say or do. (Caution: The TV version is still a bit offensive.) I will admit that I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life. I won’t start naming them here for space reasons, but also because I’m profoundly embarrassed at most all of them.

Jephthah made a stupid vow to the Lord. I don’t mean to sound disrespectful to the guy, but the Lord never required him to make this sort of vow before the Him. I’m not even sure that this vow was connected to the outcome of the battle against Ammon. Check this out…

29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: ‘If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.’

32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, ‘Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.’ (Judges 11:29-35 NIV)

I have one daughter and two incredibly sweet daughter-in-laws. I can’t begin to imagine making a vow of this sort. I also have four sons that are not “bargaining chips” for a vow. I have been in a place where I bargained with the Lord, but it didn’t involve my giving up one of my children. I struggle with this whole idea because my children hold a special place in my heart. I know that the Lord has blessed me beyond words with my children. I don’t believe that the Lord expects a vow like Jephthah made. I’ve had lots of conversations with the Lord about how much I love my children. I don’t want to say that they are more important than my relationship with the Lord, but they are really very close.

I must also confess that I’ve made deals with the Lord that I haven’t kept. I’ve promised to do things if He will rescue me and then I failed. I’ve learned that making stupid vows to the Lord simply makes me look stupid and often desperate. Rather than be desperate for my will and my way, I should surrender to His Will and His Way. I’m thankful that the Lord knows my heart and He knows that I don’t think it’s stupid to make a vow to Him, but this one that Jephthah made was “out there”. I am daily making a vow to the Lord to surrender my heart to Him. I need His rescue. I need His Grace and Mercy. I need Him every day to make sense of my life’s journey. I don’t want to take another step without Him leading me. I believe that is a wise vow to make. There is nothing stupid about making a life long commitment to following the Lord.

Pressing On!

Dwayne