Our Daily Re-Commitment | September 2022 Monthly Newsletter

Written by Ps. Nicholas Hung | Senior Pastor of Antioch Gospel Church

It’s no secret that ‘promises, vows and commitments’ provide important foundations in this world. Whether it’s a promise made between a couple as they pledge their vows one to the other, the signing of a contractual agreement or the vows we make to God and to others, promises are an important part of strengthening our lives through commitment.

One of the great hallmarks of Christian living are the vows we make as we commit to living as devoted followers of Jesus. We commit to living for Him and with Him and He empowers us to live in Him. The commitments that we make with our God ought not to be one-off promises, but rather promises that we renew continually.

“[Jesus] said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23 NKJV)

Jesus made it explicitly clear to His disciples that following Him was not a one-time commitment thing – it’s not just praying the sinners prayer and then going off and doing your own thing again. For Jesus, real commitment was the commitments that His disciples were willing to make over and over and over again – daily, or even more regularly as required.

By giving our lives to follow Jesus we make a promise to serve Him with all our heart.

The psalmist penned these words:

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations.” (Psalms 119:105-106 NLT)

I love the phrase, “I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again.” That phrase speaks volumes about the psalmists’ resolve to give God his absolute best – not just today, but every day henceforth.

It’s just so easy to forget the promises that we’ve made – and that’s something we’re all guilty of! Time is a great prover of many things. As time goes by, we either remain faithful and steadfast in our commitments our commitments begin to waver.

I’ve discovered that one of the best ways to remember and ultimately to fulfil our vows is to repeat them – make them again and again! Humans are forgetful creatures. We need reminding. Perhaps that’s why God told the ancient Jewish leaders to bind the covenant on their hands and wear them as frontlets between their eyes (see Deuteronomy 6:6-9). I’ve discovered at least three benefits that flow from re-committing myself to the commitments that I’ve made with God and others over the years:

a) Repeating our vows keeps them at the forefront of our minds

Vows aren’t meant to be ideals or concepts that we hold true to when we feel like it, but are swept under the bed or thrown into the trash can when we no longer feel like fulfilling them. Vows are meant to hold us true through good times and not so good times and the only way this is possible is if those vows remain clear and vivid in our minds. Repeating the promises we’ve made with God certainly helps!

b) Renewing our vows is a great reminder of why we made the vow in the first place

At some point in time we saw a reason to make the promises we did. We saw a future in that promise. We saw purpose in that promise. We saw that our commitment would please the heart of God. There was a clear reason for which God moved our heart to make a commitment.

The problem is that our initial heart for the vow and the joy and passion behind the vow often fades over time. It’s easy to commit to a lifestyle of prayer and worship when the anointing is strong and the power and presence of God is moving and the Holy Spirit touches our heart. However it’s in the ordinary routines of our everyday lives that our commitment to the vow gets tested.

By remembering the process and the pathway that led us to the vow and renewing those vows, we can become better equipped to stand faithful to the promises we have made.

c) Continually speaking our vows keeps us accountable – to God, to ourselves and to others

A bride and groom are married in front of witnesses and contracts are signed in front of a legal practitioner. Why? Amongst other reasons it’s because involving other people into our vows adds another layer of accountability. If we really want our vows to endure, it’s often a great idea to share them with others.

Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, “When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.” (Ecclessiastes 5:4 NLT) We need to make promises – they’re important foundations for our spiritual maturity, but we’ve also got to be good at remembering them and reminding ourselves. We don’t make a vow rashly or hastily, but once we make it, we follow through in it.

Every day is a great day for us to remind ourselves of our commitments: our commitment to worship. Our commitment to prayer. Our commitment to giving generously. Our commitment to holiness and integrity. Our commitment to developing a lifelong devotion to God. Our commitment to serve and minister in God’s house. Our commitment to love God and to love others. Our commitment to faithfulness … and other great commitments.

If we promised it to God once, perhaps it’s a good time to promise it again! :-)

Blessings,

Pastor Nicholas Hung