The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 28:16-21, “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.’
17 He was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top.
19 He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz.
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear,
21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the LORD will be my God.’”

A vow is a promise, a very serious commitment. There’s no question but that you’ve made several in your lifetime. Anytime you sign your name to a paper, you are virtually saying that the contents in the paper is true, if only true to the best of your knowledge.

Contracts of all sorts are promises. Signing for a loan at the bank is a promise that you are going to honor and abide by the statements you have made. Even a driver’s license is a form of a contract –whether or not you knew it at the time.

Jacob was certain that the LORD had deeded him the land upon which he slept, that he took the LORD at His Word that the land now belonged to him and those who would comprise his posterity.

Vows are sometimes accepted verbally, sometimes sealed in writing, Sometimes witnesses are present, sometimes only the one who promises is present; and sometimes it’s the one who believes and holds the vow. The only negative factor is when one of the parties later declares the vow improper or illegal. That’s where written signatures become invaluable. They often have the binding of law.

When the LORD vowed that He would give eternal life to those who confessed their sins and vowed trust in His Word. His Word can never be broken. That’s why “eternal life” is eternal to those who repent of sin and believe the LORD’s promise.

Have you ever made a promise to anyone and then broken it? It would be good
counsel for you to search your heart on such a matter and then rectify your wrong with an apology. It’s the Christian thing to do. If the other party refuses to accept the apology. It then becomes his or her problem, not yours.

Moreover, trusting God at His Word, confessing your sins to Him, and asking His
forgiveness is the most important. This guarantees Eternal Life, and gives meaning to life here and now. God bless you. You are in my prayers.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom