When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed — better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5.

Our mouths can lead us into so much sin. Empty promises and lies can flow out of them when we are desperate or frightened. “Oh God, if you’ll just do THIS for me, then I will do THAT.” How quickly we forget once the trial has passed. We also tend to “”over-promise” when we are extremely happy about something, then once the elation wears off, our eyes are no longer fixed in that promise.

God is not in the business of bargaining. When you make a vow or promise to Him, you should do so with every intent on keeping it. He doesn’t want our empty promises, he wants our solemn vow. He doesn’t want sinful lies to pass over our tongues. He desires that we have hearts and words of honesty and truth. If you can’t be dedicated to fulfilling the promise you make, then don’t make it. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise to God that you can’t or won’t keep.

Marriage is a mother great example of a vow to be kept. When you married your spouse, it was for better or for worse. You vowed to love and honor them through thick and thin, come what may. There were no “”except fors” in the statement you made…..”except for” when you annoy me, “except for” when you are sick, “except for” we don’t agree, “”except for” when someone better comes along. Your spouse expects you to honor that vow, and so does God.

If you struggle with this, ask God to help you trade your lips of lies with the tongue of truth. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Seek God, speak to God, and make sure that the vows you make to him are vows that you CAN and WILL keep.

Father, help us to have hearts of honesty that speak words of truth. Help us to think before we speak. Let us not fill the air with empty promises, but with vows that we are intent on keeping. Help us to seek sincerity in all that we speak, and to be faithful to you always. Amen.