Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking him to meet you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Now the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord gave them into his hand. He struck them with a great slaughter from Aroer to the entrance of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-Keramim. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.
When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. When he saw her he tore his clothes and said, “Alas my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”
– Judges 11:29-35
Devotion
Jephthah’s vow to sacrifice as a burnt offering whatever (or whoever) first came to his door showed his lack of faith as he approached battle. It was a mistake common to Israel-thinking that one could negotiate with God and thereby win His favor. (There is disagreement among scholars if Jephthah’s daughter was actually sacrificed or just dedicated to the service of God in a life of celibacy.)
The Big Question
Are you conditional with God? Do you expect Him to bless you because of your service to Him or have you negotiated with God to try to win His favor?
Conclude in prayer and silence reflecting on what you’ve learned.