Vow

"When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it." (Ec 5:4-5)


I opened the bible this morning to a particularly pertinent and timely passage.  Ecclesiastes is a favorite of mine.  It is part of our scriptures wisdom literature.  The book is wise and smacks of authenticity.  Anyone who has lived for very long begin to wrestle with the kinds of question the writer did some 3000 years ago.  If we die what is the purpose being alive? What's the point all all our work, sweat and aspirations if none of this really matters in the long haul of eternity?  Perhaps we draw the same conclusion.  Life is meaningless...without a right relationship with God.


In the Today's New International Version translation the chapter heading for Ecclesiastes 5 is "Fulfill Your Vow to God." I could stop right there.  In fact the writer urges concise and measured speech when one is before God in the temple.  "Many words mark the speech of a fool." (Ec 5:3)  There's enough in this chapter for me to write for the next three days.  But let me not appear a fool and be brief.


Have you ever been so excited and passionate that you made a promise you later regretted because you found it impossible to keep?  I wonder if the Daniel Fast feels that way.  I did the fast originally to be supportive.  Then I moved to seeing it as my opportunity for spiritual growth.  Then God helped me to see what this fast is really about.  The Daniel fast for me is about what God wants to do in the lives of others around me.  So I pray. 


I have to admit, though, that my resolve is weakening.  I am beginning to think about when this fast will be over.  What will be the first thing I eat?  The popcorn at the movie theater is a real temptation.  I always eat popcorn during a movie.  That's been difficult.  Yesterday the movie theater folks assured me the popcorn had no additives and they popped it in canola oil.  How do they get the yellow color on the popcorn?  They didn't know.  I wasn't convinced.  But I really thought about eating the popcorn.


I made a vow to God to keep this fast during Lent.  I am doing this for Him out of reverence and love.  Why then am I in a hurry to get the fast completed?  Why am I not enjoying this time set apart with Him?


The writer says "a dream comes when there are many cares." Later he writes, "much dreaming and many words are meaningless." (Ec 5:3, 7)  Perhaps I am in love with meaningless habits.  So I daydream about them.  Perhaps there are many cares on my heart that I am not revealing to the Lord or  to myself in prayer.  It is certain that I am not spending more time with God than before the fast began.  Might I be the fool the writer warns about?  I do not wish to be unwise.


Lord, how foolish I can be.  You continue to open the door and I like a finicky cat look around elsewhere and pause sniffing the breeze before I choose to enter.  Thank You for Your long-suffering patience.  Help me to attend to meaningful habits.  In Jesus' name, I pray.