A few weeks ago I was out in my boat fishing with a couple of the grand kids.

Like so many other times I developed boat trouble; the trim button on the motor shorted out and kept running. I knew that if I didn’t do something, the trim motor would burn out, and it would drain the battery. And then we truly would be stuck, having to call Sea Tow.

I immediately unhooked the battery and called a friend or two. The problem was resolved and I was on my way fishing. But a half hour later I went to move and the boat wouldn’t start.

I said a prayer out of desperation that went something like this, "Lord if you help us here so that this motor will start, then I will go straight to the dock."

I checked the battery and found out that when I hooked the cables back up, I hadn’t tightened them all the way. After doing so, the motor started right up. Then I had a decision to make. Do I justify continuing to fish or do I keep my promise? I believe I did the right thing by going straight to the dock.

People make promises to God all of the time; things like, "Lord, if you help me out of this situation, then I will do this or that." But when the storm is passed the promise is all but forgotten.

Several years ago, during the Gulf War, I had a man come into the church where I was a pastor. He stood up with tears in his eyes and said the following, "My son is in Kuwait and I fear for his life, please pray for him."

After service the man said that if God would bring his son home he was going to change his life and be in church every Sunday. Well his son came home safe and the man forgot all about his promises.

There are those who make similar promises to follow Jesus but renege on this promise for one reason or the other.

What we need to realize is that there are consequences if we decide not to keep our promises to God but there are also blessings when we do.