Leviticus describes many mandatory offerings, regulating their exact execution. The last chapter, however, shifts from compulsory worship to the concept of freewill vows:
"The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate a person to the Lord by giving the equivalent value . . .'" (Leviticus 27:1-2).
The chapter then goes on to talk about vows that involved animals, houses, inheritance, and non-family land, and then concludes with illicit vows—things people had no right to vow because the Lord already owned those things (or people). A vow was and is sort of like worship on credit, promising God that the vow-er will do something in the future if God will do something now. You've probably said something like, "God, if You get me out of this mess, I promise to serve You forever." You meant it when you said it, but sometimes when the pressure's off, you can relax and not be as zealous as you were when you made the promise.
This Purpose Study Bible series specifically focuses on purpose and creativity, so what can Leviticus 27 teach us about those? First, we all tend to promise beyond what we can deliver, so we should be careful about what we promise God we will do. Second, He's not a bill collector who's going to show up and demand payment of your promise, but He does expect you to follow through in some way on your commitment. If your promise eyes were bigger than your fulfillment stomach and you made a commitment you can't keep, you shouldn't just ignore it but seek to renegotiate the terms. In other words, don't treat God like a forgetful fool, but revisit the matter with Him and do what you can with what you have.
Finally, realize that God welcomes freewill offerings of what you will do for Him, using the gifts and calling He bestowed on you. You aren't only God's servant but also His partner and friend, and partners and friends do things willingly, not just because they are commanded to do so.
Have you ever vowed to do God's will no matter what? Have you sought your purpose, promising to fulfill it, only to now be bogged down with life and thus unable to follow through? Is the extent of your service to God only what He tells you to do and not something that's in your heart to freely give Him? The answer is not to ever vow or to refuse to acknowledge you did make one, but to be mindful that you are God's partner. God is listening when we vow, so we need to keep in mind what we said, even if we only deliver on a part of it in the long run.
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