COURAGE TO AGREE

• DAY 294
• FEAR FILE: JAPHTHAH DAUGHTER
• SCRIPTURES: JUDGES 11:35-39

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot go back on it.” So she said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to the LORD, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon.” Then she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: let me alone for two months, that I may go and wander on the mountains and bewail my virginity, my friends and I.” So he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains. And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She knew no man.

My husband does this funny thing where he signs an agreement (yes a written agreement) with God about an instruction he heard from God. He records his obedience with his signature and adds my name to the document. And then tells me after the fact and waits till I get on board. initially, I would hesitate. “Please ask me if I am on board before you sign,” I would say. One of his signatures resulted in us moving from Abuja to Badagry. Because he is the head of our home, his signature covers for our family before God.

Sometimes we are beneficiaries of deals we didn’t start, just like Japheth’s daughter. She was not consulted when this covenant was made; no one asked about her plans, feelings, or opinions, but she had to be the one to bear the consequences. It is all fun and games when the deal favours us but if it results in resigning from a certain career path to an uncertain path in ministry or if it is life or death, it is not so easy to go along with it. That’s when we need courage.

Go Along In Faith

Jephthah’s daughter knew that it was more expensive for the father to break his vow to God and although it hurt her to give her life, she would not be the reason her father failed on his vow. (Note that this was Old Testament times, God didn’t play). She could have refused or probably ran away when she went with her friends to mourn. It took faith to go along with the covenant and yield to it.

So this is for somebody who is a covenant beneficiary and is afraid or concerned. Do not be afraid. It could be that it was for this purpose that you were created. Maybe when you got married your husband was just a brother and now he has yielded to the call of God in his life and you didn’t sign up for that. Often life presents us with what we did not bargain for. But as long as it is to the glory of God, take up courage and move in faith.

And pray that God will help you through it. In Jesus’ name.

Shalom.