When God says "Do this" He literally means for us to do whatever it is that He has asked of us. We know He's not going to ask us to do something we can't do. He asked Moses to lead the Hebrews out of the hands of Pharaoh, and He provided a way. Moses didn't think he was much of a motivational speaker, but God provided the voice through which Moses commanded the release of the people. Likewise, when God says "No" to something, or "Don't do that", He means it. He's not going to change His mind about it down the road and/or make some excuse about the year being 2022, so we're all just supposed be inclusive, tolerant, and accepting of whatever sin it is that we fancy, but God really has already had a say. He said no. We need to remember, we are mere mortals - - He is God. End of discussion.
One of the most interesting lessons I remember as a child was found in The book of Ecclesiastes. It talks about what happens when we humans think we're going to bargain with God and we make some ridiculous promise to Him, but for whatever reason we never follow through with it. What happens then? Well, according to the Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 when this happens, God will literally destroy our work! Best we stop making promises we don't keep and especially those we had no intention to keep. We may have had all the best hopes for keeping the promise, (the vow) but if we don't do it, He's not going to not only not bless our work, but because of our dishonoring Him, He will destroy what we worked so hard to achieve.
That sounds and seems so harsh to us! We're all about getting those brownie points and trophies just for showing up now, aren't we? He doesn't work that way. He's an amazing loving and caring God, but He is just, and if we make a promise and we don't keep it, He lets us know straight away that we didn't do what we said we would do, so then what we achieved through Him and His mercy, He can and will simply take it away. We may end up regaining that status again, maybe when we realize how foolish we were, and the vow is kept; maybe when we pray and ask for it, but we don't attach a promise we can't fulfil, just allowing God to have the full glory, the honor, the praise. We have too much to be grateful for to allow our own folly to stand in our way of being the best we can be.
It's never easy to be reminded that we are sinners. It's never fun, nor does it bring us peace when we realize how we have fallen so short of what we thought we knew and what we thought we were doing correctly. It is through prayer, through meditation, through continued service and dedication that we realize just how short sometimes we fall from the mark we thought we were making! Here we are thinking how wonderful things are going, and how great things seem to be; our families are sorted, our careers are falling into place. We seem to be right up on top of it, when it all comes crashing down. The first thing we do is blame others, then we get around to thinking maybe it could have something to do with us. Do we ever think it has to do with our vows to God? I know I don't think that way, but it very well could be just that.
When I hear people say "God wouldn't do that" I want to laugh. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be that way, but if you read the same Bible I'm reading you'll realize where the fire and brimstones come from that smashed Sodom and Gomorrah. I mean, yeah, it was likely an earthquake that caused a volcano, but who made that happen? I can't think of another example right now, not off the top of my head, but I do know that there have been times when I made stupid promises to God asking Him to bless me, to do this or that for me, and I will do this or that in return. I have. I've done that. I've suffered for not having completed my duties! I went through YEARS of rebuilding and YEARS of frustration with jobs, housing, changes, and challenges. Finally, after hearing a sermon on this one topic, I realized it was me this entire time! We're good now! He's always been good, but now WE are good.
Do yourself a favor. If you follow Jesus, and you call yourself His, then stop making silly promises and just thank Him. Just praise Him. Just walk with Him. Just do what He says, and ask questions, but stop making promises if you don't intend to do what you say -- it just makes life for everyone so so so much better. This way God doesn't have to put up with an idiot, and you'll not be proven to be so. It hurt. I'm not gonna lie about it. I was so wrong. It feels so much better to know I'm on the path I should be, and even though I'm criticized by people who fall short and think it's me that's causing their problems, I know I'm tucked away in the everlasting arms. I'm not even going to worry about it.
I like another verse too: Psalms 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." That verse gets me through so much! It's still in the Book, and it's not goin' anywhere.
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