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Deuteronomy 23 (ESV)
19 “You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. 20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
21 “If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. 23 You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.
REFLECTION:
- Archeologists have found documents from cultures contemporary with the Old Testament that state interest rates. Some laws limited the rates that could be charged, but 15th-century contracts found at Nuzi, in northern Assyrian, record interest rates of 50 percent! The principle here is clear. We are to help those in need, not oppress them further for our own profit. If God is in control of our finances, then we ought to trust Him completely to provide for our every need and hold loosely to the money that we have.
- A vow was a voluntary gift sometimes contingent on God’s answering a prayer for help. The point of the passage is that, since it is voluntary, one must follow through with paying the vow. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches against the taking of vows, arguing that our yes or no should stand on its own (Matt 5:33-37).
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, You are a loving God and faithful in all Your ways. We are Your people, and Your promises to us will never change. Everything You give us comes from Your good will, because You are love and the source of all goodness and beauty. You delight in our acceptance of Your love, and You are even more pleased when we love You and others with all our heart and strength. Father, I pray that You would shape my life through my relationships of love, that I may become more obedient to You, more pleasing to You, and more like You in character. I understand that faithfulness and love are closely intertwined, for love is patient, love is self-sacrificing for the sake of others, and love never fails. If I fail to pursue the truth of life, it is because I do not love You deeply enough. If I fail to keep my promises to others, it is because I do not love them enough. Heavenly Father, I desire to pursue Your love more deeply, to love You more deeply, and to cultivate faithfulness in love, not seeking my own interests but the interests of others. Help me to develop a faithful character in love, so that I can convey more of Your love to others. Amen!
HYMN:
Anthem – youtu.be/PijwAXXQgfg
