"Consider What You Are Praying"

"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." Ecclesiastes 5:4

 

Before we make our requests to God we should consider carefully what we say. Many people will make vows to Him in return for an answer in their favor. Perhaps at one time or other we all have. You know the vows I am talking about-- "Lord, if you will just do this, I will serve you all the days of my life."; "If You will answer this way I will never drink again."; "Etc". 

 

Some vows are spoken in the heat of the moment, in the urgency of the need, in a time of desperation, but they are spoken nevertheless, and when they are, God hears them. And when He hears them, He expects you to keep your word.

 

Jephthah made a vow to God during a critical time in Israel's history. He vowed that if God would let them win the battle over Ammon, he would offer as a sacrifice to God what came out of his house to meet him when he returned home from the battle. His daughter was the first one to come out of the house to meet him. You have to wonder, "What was he thinking? What did he think would come out of his house?"

 

This is what I mean by giving careful consideration to what you are requesting and "bargaining" with God about. Don't be foolish in your conversation and request to Him. Think about what you are saying. Don't just "throw words" out there to Him. Let your prayers have substance to them. Consider fully what you are asking. Don't just say something because it sounds good or even "spiritual". Just simply think about your conversation with God.

 

Have a great day. Are you giving any thought to your prayer requests to God? Or are you just making bargains you can't keep?

 

For further reading:

Judges 11

Matthew 6:7

 

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

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