day no. 14,515: writing your own vows

Numbers 6:24-26
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

This familiar blessing follows a chapter devoted to the Nazarite vow. While Levites were required to serve God, lay people could devote themselves to serving God by taking the Nazarite vow. This vow was typically temporary and provided the person an opportunity to demonstrably serve God. It cost them a great deal of freedom through self-denial, but granted them the privilege of serving their God in a tangible way they would otherwise not have access. The costs were evident. One could not fulfill the Nazarite vow without feeling it and one could not fulfill it without everyone else seeing it. This produced accountability for the devotee and encouragement to the observer.

It is good for us to seasonally fast and to always be ready to deny ourselves. It is good for us and it is good for those who are watching us. It is encouraging to watch someone love Jesus and consecrate their life and livelihood for His glory above all other things. It often inspires those who love God to do the same.