Faith Capsule: Truly, God is true to His word.

1 Samuel 1

It does not matter which route you have taken into self-affliction, but it is clear that regardless of the route taken into affliction God is mercifully enough to have mercy if you will remember to return to Him for His mercy. The importance of making a vow to God and fulfilling it is identified in the book of Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—better not to vow than to vow and not pay.” The importance of making a vow is seen across the pages of Scripture. Many giants in the hand of God and many with great miracle testimonies made vows to have their closed doors opened. It is recorded concerning Hannah, “…The Lord had closed her womb and her rival provoked her severely to make her miserable…” (1Samuel 1:5-6) Affliction is also an agent of making people miserable. Making a vow unto God was one of the open door avenues for Hannah’s blessing of fruitfulness. Hannah made a vow and it was duly fulfilled.
Reaching out to God by making a vow is not to be played with. Once a vow is made either in the heart or in writing, it must be carried out. Jonah vowed in his self-inflicted affliction and God delivered him. Also, no matter how simple or difficult the vow is, it must be completed as vowed. Jonah vowed “But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.”(Jonah 2:9) Thanksgiving sacrifice was Jonah’s vow for his deliverance. Making a vow to be given after deliverance in the middle of serious affliction is not as easy as recorded. It can be very challenging to remember to vow a thanksgiving offering in the face of overwhelming challenge like Jonah did.
Jonah, despite going down into self-inflicted affliction, cried out, he looked up, he remembered to reaffirm his faith and made a vow before God. The steps taken by Jonah to come out of affliction will work for you where there is a need to come out of affliction. God did not withdraw His mercy but He answered Jonah, “So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” (Jonah 2:10) Indeed and in truth, the word of God is written for our learning when studying is applied to gain knowledge for deliverance. Study the word; do not skim through the word. Gain understanding of the word, apply it to your affliction and you shall have a knowing edge.
Truly, God is true to His word as stated “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”(Psalm 34:19)

Prayer for today: Ask God to open your understanding that you may live by His word.