Keepin’ Promises
Alright, friend, my stars are doin’ real happy cartwheels today! Why don’t you just pull your rocker over here just a little closer and settle in like a sleepy lil’ ol’ armadillo that’s napping while tucked under a shady, mesquite tree? Now, let’s go on a lil’ ol’ journey wanderin’ right into one of the sweetest, richest stories in Scripture. 1 Samuel 1:27-28 tells us that Hannah said, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So, now I give him to the Lord.” That right there is real devotion with high-heeled boots on. It’s the kind of faith that stands real firm even when your heart feels ‘bout as tender as a lil’ ol’ newborn fawn wobblin’ on its legs as it learns to walk.
Hannah had prayed for many years. She prayed when her hope felt ‘bout as thin as a spiderweb blowin’ in a wild windstorm. She prayed when her arms were empty and her heart was full. She even made a vow in 1 Samuel 1:11 that if God gave her a son, she would give him right bac to God. And friend, when God answered, she didn’t hesitate. She marched that lil’ boy right to Eli, the priest, an’ sho’-nuff’ fulfilled her promise to God. Scripture says Samuel “grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and men” in 1 Samuel 2:26, an’ later Samuel became God’s chief prophet in 1 Samuel 3:19-21. Clear as a cowbell on a real quiet mornin’, it was all ‘cause one faithful mama kept her word.
King Solomon must’ve had Hannah in mind when he wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 that it’s better not to make a vow at all than to make a vow and, then, not pay the price of fulfilling the vow you made. God takes our promises very seriously. He’s sho’-nuff’ not impressed with any fancy words or big ol’ declarations. He’s lookin’ for hearts that follow through an’ kee'p their promises, even when the follow‑through costs somethin’.
And, by thunder, friend, you’ve gotta’ be knowin’ that sacrifice always costs somethin’. It’s givin’ up what we genuinely value to show God He’s really worth more. Sometimes it feels like handin’ over your favorite calf, or lettin’ go of a dream you’ve been guardin’ like a lil’ ol’ squirrel guardin’ its last pecan. But with every sacrifice comes blessin’s ‘cause God never wastes what we surrender to Him.
Father, help me be faithful to every promise I make to You. Give me a heart like Hannah’s, steady and surrendered. Teach me to honor You with my words and my follow‑through. And when sacrifice feels heavy, remind me that blessing always follows obedience. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now, if that ain’t somethin’ worth sittin’ down for, friend, I don’t know what is! As git back to your busy day, remember that devotion ain’t real loud like an ol’ loud-mouth crow squawkin’ on a while he’s sittin’ on a fence post. It’s somethin’ real quiet an’ real steady like a lil’ ol’ deer slippin’ quietly through the big stand of trees. Keepin’ your promises may feel mighty costly, but it’s a whole lot sturdier than an ol’ cedar stump and so much sweeter than fresh-baked, buttered cornbread. When you give God what you treasure, He gives back to you what you could never earn. Walk real faithful. Walk real steady. And be lettin’ your promises to God be standin’ ‘bout as tall as an old oak tree that’s weathered many fierce storms across many generations.
With joy,
Gwen
