And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering. ”
Judges 11:29-30 (NIV)
Father God, how many times have I attempted to bargain with You, putting forward to You some spiritual transaction, requesting that if You will do this I will do that? How many times have I attempted to negotiate “better” in a tit for tat exchange with You? It is easy for me to say right now that I never do that. Yet, in reality I have. Sometimes in jest while speaking with loved ones, saying things like, “If God will give me a winning lottery ticket, boy what I would do for the Kingdom!” Or exclaiming, “If God would open up my eyes to see His fingerprints in this matter I would be able to better serve Him in this area.” The former is blatant; the latter is less obvious. Both are bargaining. And as this tale makes clear, You are not a God to be bargained with, especially with us, Your children, who tend to speak without fully understanding the cost.
Father, the words of my Savior ring loud and clear in my mind this morning, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one (Matthew 5:37).” Continue to remind me that my relationship with You is not built on bargaining and negotiation. The blessings that I need in my life do not come through bartering or an exchange of faithfulness. Remove my thinking that You bless me because of and remind me that You bless me in spite of!
My relationship with You wasn’t even established through negotiations. Christ died for me before I even accepted Him into my heart (Ephesians 1:4). You called me and drew me into Your family before I even accepted the need for a sacrifice for my sins (John 6:44). This is the glorious and incomprehensible tension of the gospel: I was chosen before I chose, but I had to choose and could not help but do so! I did not choose Christ but Christ chose me! You don’t bless me because I have done something or made a vow to do something. You bless me because You are a good and gracious God!
So Father, help me to be faithful to my word, committed to my call, and wise in my vows. Continue to remind me that You are not looking for a child who seeks to bargain with You but instead are looking for a faithful servant who keeps their word, serves you faithfully, and loves others unconditionally. And when I do slip up and make an ill-advised vow like Jephthah did, one that will cost others dearly like his only daughter, give me the courage to repent, ask for forgiveness, and do the right thing. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.