A few weeks ago in our Sunday school class, we looked at a passage in the first chapter of Romans that has been simmering in the back burner of my head for awhile. Paul discusses characteristics of unregenerate people who have rejected God. In the midst of some predictable “big” sins, like murder and adultery, we find some sins surprising in their mildness (in our American culture, perhaps). Covetousness, disobedient to parents, unmerciful: these are relevant in our homes, but I’ve been pondering the characteristic of covenant breaking, as the KJV puts it.

A cavalier attitude toward our word, whether formed as a promise or not, is characteristic of our generation, I believe. Of course, we see it the divorce rate, we see it in the legal wrangling for a loophole in the law, but I also see it in how easily we break appointments, forget about a promise, and ultimately, refuse to commit to anything.

So I’ve been wondering how much the world is in me. Do I take my word lightly? Sometimes, our plans go awry, and I’m not suggesting that a godly believer can possibly avoid breaking all and any promise. I’m more focusing on my attitude, and I am humbled when I consider how often I say, “I’ll come as soon as I finish __________” and then three tasks later, finally come. I’ve set a cleaning goal with a promised break when they reach the goal, and then change the goal when the children are obviously working efficiently. I put my husband’s errands low on the priority list, and then forget or run out of time to complete them. This is a problem I need God’s grace to work on.

I’m also realizing as I write, that although I’ve been examining my own life, I’ve not asked God to examine me. I’ll do that now, and then I’ll ask for his grace to keep my word as I study His word.

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