If You Say It...Do It
If You Say You Do...
”Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.“
Ecclesiastes 5:5
Today is a special devo...why? Because I want to brag on God for a couple minutes about what He has done in my marriage. Tomorrow Kristie and I celebrate...yes, celebrate 32 years of marriage. Both of us were blessed to have parents that took the whole “till death do us part” thing very seriously. Let me tell you, it has not been a breeze. You see, Kristie and I are both very flawed individuals. There have been several times both of us have wanted to quit, thankfully never at the same time lol.
Now before I go any further...this is not a rant about people getting divorced, I believe there are good biblical and sound reasons to separate from someone who is toxic and abusive, this ain’t about that...this is about howe we might enter into a covenant with someone else. This is about what our mindset is going into it.
I was talking to a close friend who just became a new pastor yesterday. He has never pastored before and as we were talking he asked me a question. Another friend of ours had told him to set a time frame for how long he would stick through the hard times of pastoring a church before he would decide it was time to call it quits. Now I now the other friends heart and he is a way better pastor than I am, but I didn’t share his perspective. I looked at my friend and I said this, “When I stood before my high-school sweetheart and told her I do, I vowed that with the knowledge that there was no plan B. I promised my wife that I would always be there, no matter what, and she promised to. When I took over as pastor of the church I pastor, it was with the knowledge and intent that I am here until death parts us.”
We cannot go into a covenantal agreement with someone thinking it may not work out. That is not how Christ enters into His covenant with us. He is in it for keeps. Ecclesiastes tells us this, ”Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.“ It is very simple, if you say you’re going to do something do it. If you don’t have the intent to do it no matter what comes at you, don’t say you’re going to do it. Chew on that for a minute.
Pastor Larry Hof
One more thing, Happy Anniversary Kristie Lee, I love you Baby!
”Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.“
Ecclesiastes 5:5
Today is a special devo...why? Because I want to brag on God for a couple minutes about what He has done in my marriage. Tomorrow Kristie and I celebrate...yes, celebrate 32 years of marriage. Both of us were blessed to have parents that took the whole “till death do us part” thing very seriously. Let me tell you, it has not been a breeze. You see, Kristie and I are both very flawed individuals. There have been several times both of us have wanted to quit, thankfully never at the same time lol.
Now before I go any further...this is not a rant about people getting divorced, I believe there are good biblical and sound reasons to separate from someone who is toxic and abusive, this ain’t about that...this is about howe we might enter into a covenant with someone else. This is about what our mindset is going into it.
I was talking to a close friend who just became a new pastor yesterday. He has never pastored before and as we were talking he asked me a question. Another friend of ours had told him to set a time frame for how long he would stick through the hard times of pastoring a church before he would decide it was time to call it quits. Now I now the other friends heart and he is a way better pastor than I am, but I didn’t share his perspective. I looked at my friend and I said this, “When I stood before my high-school sweetheart and told her I do, I vowed that with the knowledge that there was no plan B. I promised my wife that I would always be there, no matter what, and she promised to. When I took over as pastor of the church I pastor, it was with the knowledge and intent that I am here until death parts us.”
We cannot go into a covenantal agreement with someone thinking it may not work out. That is not how Christ enters into His covenant with us. He is in it for keeps. Ecclesiastes tells us this, ”Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.“ It is very simple, if you say you’re going to do something do it. If you don’t have the intent to do it no matter what comes at you, don’t say you’re going to do it. Chew on that for a minute.
Pastor Larry Hof
One more thing, Happy Anniversary Kristie Lee, I love you Baby!
Posted in Love, Blessed, Get Humble, God of All Comfort, Living Sacrifice, Losing to Win, Making Plans, Scripture is Illuminating, The Word, Thinking Counts
Posted in do it, makeaplan, thendoit, I do, Do You
Posted in do it, makeaplan, thendoit, I do, Do You
Recent
Archive
2024
September
2023
July
August
Loving When You CannotWalk This WaySing With Me!Planning AheadStop Playing DeadYou Can Because He IsIt's All On YouWhat I Think?A Simple LifeJust Like NewKeeping Things BrightGod's Work of ArtMy Easy TaskSelfish to SelflessMy ShepherdI Thought Mom Said That?Every DayAt Home TooBeloved, Be LovingWhy Am I Being Tested?Here's a Good ExampleWhat Do You Know?Get Humble or Get HumbledFor Your ConsiderationYou Have My WordWhat Never Fails?Hurting?
No Comments