147. Wala ka sa Lolo ko. For him, a man who takes an oath must not break his word.

24 April 2021

The Lord spoke to me and promised me on an oath. Genesis 24:7

Genesis 24

3 I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 

4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

The Lord God is true to His Word.

Isaac and Rebekah

Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” Genesis 24:12, 14

Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.

The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” Genesis 24:15, 17-19

Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 

He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 

Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 

and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 

Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. Genesis 24:62-67

God is not human that He does promise and not fulfill.

Numbers 23

19 God is not human, that he should lie,

    not a human being, that he should change his mind.

Does he speak and then not act?

    Does he promise and not fulfill?

The Lord God wants man to fulfill his oath.

Numbers 30

2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

It is for us to be true to our word.

In 2016, I set word for myself to pay personal visit and offer prayer for each of my father's and my mother's living siblings.

Yesterday morning I saw the fb post of a cousin on my father's side, that her mother, the wife of my father's brother passed away. (My cousin's father passed away a few years ago, we were able to go to the wake.)

I was brought to tears. I posted a message:

"Pinsan, lubos akong nakikiramay. Masaya palagi noon ang aming biruan ng iyong Inay at Tatay.

Panalangin ko ang kaaliwan at kalakasan sa buong pamilya.

The Lord is our refuge and strength. Amen."

Last year, already with the pandemic, it was my mother's sister who passed away.

We could not go to the wake because of the pandemic.

I made the oath a few years after my mother passed away, my father passed away years earlier. My mother was the youngest of the siblings, while my father was the eldest.

My father's and mother's siblings live in adjacent barangays in Batangas City.

So I took time off from work and, along with my wife, travelled from Quezon City and stopped overnight at my mother-in-law's place in Lipa. The following day, my mother-in-law joined us on the trip to Batangas City.

Yes my personal visit to each of them was in joyful mood. This particular cousin's mother, and my other uncles and aunties would remember me to be the silent type but has become engaging. I have made visits before, sharing my spiritual story. (A sister of my father would even recall I borrowed money around 2003.)

I obliged to pray for each of them. Those moments are memorable, I was able to express affection for each of them. They may even have not expected my outward regard for them. I did it to honor the memory of my father and mother.

I take consolation in the Lord that I was able fulfill my oath. Amen.

"Lord, "People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised" (Hebrews 6:16, 13-15). Lord, "Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise" (Psalm 119:90, 58). This I pray in Jesus' name. Amen."

"Wala ka sa Lolo ko. For him, a man who takes an oath must not break his word.", this my children's children will utter one day.

May you be blessed with God's Word.

Maraming salamat.