You lightly broke your solemn vows to me,
yet I will keep the pledge I made to you when you were young.
I will establish an everlasting covenant with you forever.
Ezekiel 16: 59-60 TLB

I see myself in that verse of scripture. The day that I followed my Dad to the front of the First Christian Church of Poteau, Oklahoma and gave my heart to Jesus, I entered into a “solemn vow” with Him. Numerous times since that day I have, with tears and sincere regret, renewed that solemn vow–only to “lightly break that vow” again in a time of frustration, anger, self-protection, weariness, or doubt.

But the Person with whom I made that agreement when I was twelve years old says, “It’s all right, Anabel. I’m not going to back out of the covenant we made. I’m going to keep all of My promises to you. We’re different–You and me. You can trust Me, dear one. I won’t break the vows I made with you.”

You know, I’ve counseled a lot of married people. Sometimes one of the twosome is trying–everything possible–to make the marriage work, to make it the beautiful relationship that God created it to be. But for that to happen, both of them have to commit themselves to trying to make their union something special, and then beauty begins to come. Then love is renewed. Then the relationship becomes all that it is supposed to be.

In my covenant with the Lord, He is doing His very best to make our relationship all that He longs for it to be. I’m the one putting sand in the gears. I’m the one who is chasing other ways for fulfillment and I confess, “It’s me, Lord. And I am so sorry.”

As recently as yesterday I went to the front of the Church at the invitation of the pastor to pray. How sweet it was to be there–as close to prostrate as I dared to get in front of everyone who might have been looking. Once again I declared my love by this overt action, and my commitment as a Believer; I was acknowledging His authority and His majesty by kneeling and once again I renewed my solemn vow.

Thank You for being the Person of integrity that You are. Your love, your faithfulness, your dedication to me are absolutely marvelous!

Your steadfast love, O Lord, is as great as all the heavens.
(That’s beyond our ability to grasp, isn’t it?)
Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
(Beyond the clouds? No way can I imagine that.)
Your justice is as solid as God’s mountains.
(I have never analyzed the “solidness” of a mountain, have you?)
Your decisions are as full of wisdom as the oceans are with water.
(Quite a comparison, isn’t it?)
You are concerned for men and animals alike.
How precious is Your constant love, O God!
Psalm 36: 5-7 (TLB)

What seems to be a minor infraction to me–lightly breaking the solemn vow I made with You–is a very major infraction with You. Help me to see that, Lord.