Vowing A Vow Unto The Lord

Issue 6          [ January 10, 2010]

     I am fixing to do something I don’t normally like to do. I am going to call attention to myself, but only to lift up the name of Jesus. My name is JW Grisham and for anyone that has never seen me, I am bald-headed (by choice). I feel that some people might have an idea why, but I am about to explain exactly why I shave my head.

     Let us build a quick foundation. I will be 38 years old the 7th of March 2010, and I have been back in church over 4 years now. Please remember that backsliders have a harder time coming back, if we are even abled to come back to God at all. We bring it on ourselves when we walk out of the house of God. We have no one to blame but the one we see in the mirror.

     I had only been in church for a month or so and I was facing some real spirits in my life. God had blessed me and helped me lay down the dope, the alcohol, and then the cigarettes. The cigarettes were harder to lay down than crack cocaine, trust me! I had an unbelieving roommate and I was doing everything I could do to live right.
I was reading in my Bible one night of Job and how in all that he faced, he give God praise. Job glorified Him in all that he did!

     I was thinking, If he can face all he had to face and he worshipped God and he lived thru the struggle, then maybe I need to try to get Gods attention, so he will help me make it thru my struggle.

     I said "God, I will vow a vow unto you and I will give you all the glory, honor, credit, and praise. Please Lord, help me to be a better Christian and to become a vessel of honor for you. I will keep my head shaved for 6 months,please help me thru these struggles in my life."

     I need to tell you that it is a hard thing to place your pride to the side and cut off your hair. I've met vain people who were prideful over their mustaches, hair, or goatee. For me it was hair. Anyway, it is embarrassing to shave your head and go out in public with no hair.

     I knew if I was to get Gods attention I had to put everything in me, out of me and put God first and evermore in my life. I had to put my flesh, pride and self under subjection. Can I tell you this? It worked, and I have been a better man ever since. Don't question; just put God 1st in your life and your blessing is on its way!
After the 6 months of my vow was up, I let it grow back (to normal holiness standards). Shortly after that, I made a vow again to God and said, "Lord, if thou will hear my prayer And if I find favor in your sight, I will vow this vow one last time.

     I will shave my head, I will place my flesh and feelings to the side, if thou will answer me this prayer. God, I can go out into the world and find a companion any day of the week and 2 on Saturday, but I desire not those things from the world.
Oh God, that which I desire is for you to bring me a beautiful God-sent companion. One that will accent my walk with you and help me to reach my full potential. I want one that loves you even more that she loves me. I want one that is a prayer warrior. If I was to go to the missionary field, the only thing she would say is; When are we leaving? I want one that will dedicate her life to raising our children that they will seek out the old path, and that our children will be brought up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

     Dear God in Heaven, I know this is a tall order, but I know that the God that I serve specializes in tall orders. This is but a drop in the bucket for the God that I serve. Lord, I will keep my head shaved until the day that you deliver me that which I desire and need. I will not cease to give you the glory, honor, praise and credit, amen!"

     It has been over 3 years now and I am still holding to my vow. God could have brought this to pass the very next day, but if He had, I may not have appreciated the situation for what it is, I may not have appreciated my beautiful God-sent companion, and God may not have been able to get the true glory that is due him!
Jobs story may not have been very touching if he had received that which he lost shortly thereafter. Remember that Gods ways are not our ways.
　
     Unfortunately in today’s society we are constantly having to clarify and justify everything we say.  I am not saying that if you have a need and want to get Gods attention that you should shave your head (especially if you are a woman. ha ha) What I am saying is, this is what I did, this is what I felt I needed to do in MY life.
Let me say man, woman, boy or girl, If you have a need in your life what you do need to do is pray, fast and seek the will of God. . If you’ll put your flesh to the side by prayer and fasting, thanksgiving and worship, then I’ll guarantee you that you’ll get Gods attention. You can NOT do for God and be left holding the bag. God will move for those who move for Him. If you give God your WHOLE heart, mind, body and soul; stand back and watch God work in your life.

     I will finish with this last thought. If you decide to make a vow unto the Lord, you WILL be required to pay it. Think about what you do before you act upon it! It is better to Live thru the struggle and not to vow, than to vow and defer not to pay it!

     I put my hand to the plow and looked back ONCE in my life, but if I was to defer not to pay the vow I owe, then God would require it at my hand. It would be sin!
So the choice is yours, but I suggest to always count the cost of your actions when it is of a serious matter such as this.

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Scripture For Your Basket:

Job 1:20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.

Acts 18:18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

Deuteronomy 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

1 Samuel 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

1Samuel 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head

1Samuel 1:26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. 1Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 1Samuel 1:28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

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Editors Comments:

     I don't feel like Kipling and that one word from me is worth $100, but I do hope that what I write is uplifting and not just vain ramblings. I hope that you dont throw this in the trash, but that you can read all issues from time to time and draw some form of encouragement from them.

     When I wrote this I was sceptical, because I dont want JW to be the focus, but it is God that should be our centerpiece when we read this.

     Never by our hand is anything done, but by the power of God almighty. He is the one who gets all the glory, honor, praise, and credit. If you do for God, he'll NEVER leave you holding the bag!