Suppose we make a promise that seems fully reasonable. Though later, circumstances arise in which we have to neglect someone in need in order to fulfill that promise. (e.g..) Maybe a person came to visit and was just leaving in time to fulfill the original promise, but they slip and fall ... being injured and in need of medical attention. Do we leave the injured person unattended because we made a promise? Of course not.
But, what if we aren't doing what God called us to because we are busy keeping our word elsewhere and miss the opportunity to meet a spiritual need. Isn't it the same thing? The only difference is where the wound is located.
Maybe we gave our word and later realized God wasn't calling us to it. Do we ignore what God is calling us to in order to meet the previous obligation? Does He come first or second?
In such cases, we have a choice. Is our word God? Is the law our God? Is what people think our God? Or, does God's will for us come above all gods?
If we make a promise, only later to realize our error, in order for God to be first -- we just might have to eat humble pie. But, therein is a lesson to be learned. The error in making such a promise wasn't God's.
There's an easy way to not make the same mistake twice. Don't make promises you may not be able to keep. We can say, 'if the Lord be willing.' But, that's all we can honestly agree to -- knowing that none of us knows what tomorrow may bring. Perhaps what God is calling us to today may not be the same as tomorrow. All any of us can rightly do is what God is calling us to ... until God calls us to move on.
Only once we've heard from God can we be, 'A Man of HIS Word.' And to walk with Him, we must first be available.
© by Joyce C. Lock