DAILY TEXT, Saturday, December 27, 2025. It is better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not keep it (Eccl. 5:5).

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Saturday, December 27, 2025

It is better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not keep it (Eccl. 5:5).

Are you studying the Bible? Or are your parents Witnesses and teaching you the truth? In either case, you may be considering getting baptized. And that is very good! But there is something you must do before you get baptized: dedicate yourself to Jehovah. How does someone dedicate themselves to Jehovah? By offering a prayer in which they promise to worship him alone and to make doing his will the most important thing in their life. In other words, they are promising Jehovah that they will always love him with their whole heart, their whole soul, their whole mind, and their whole strength. (Mark 12:30) Dedication is done privately; it is between you and Jehovah. Baptism, on the other hand, is public; then people will know that you have dedicated yourself to Jehovah. The dedication vow is a very serious promise. Surely you will want to keep it, and that is what Jehovah expects you to do. (Eccl. 5:4) w24.03 2 par. 2; 3 para. 5

What motivates someone to dedicate themselves to Jehovah?

The main reason you will dedicate yourself to Jehovah is because you love him. This love is not a fleeting emotion, but it has grown gradually as you have learned about Jehovah and gained “accurate knowledge” and “spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9). By studying the Scriptures, you have become convinced that 1) Jehovah is real, 2) he inspired the Bible with his spirit, and 3) he has an organization and uses it to accomplish his will.

What is expected of someone who is going to dedicate themselves to Jehovah?

If someone is going to dedicate themselves to Jehovah, it is expected that they already know the basic teachings of the Bible, are obeying God’s standards, and are sharing their beliefs with others as their circumstances allow (Matt. 28:19, 20). Furthermore, they have a deep love for Jehovah and wholeheartedly desire to worship him alone. Can that be said of you? If you love Jehovah with all your heart, you will not consider dedicating yourself and getting baptized simply to please the person who teaches you the Bible. And, if you are young, you will not take this step just because you want to please your parents or because your friends are also getting baptized.

What is the relationship between gratitude and dedication? (Psalm 116:12-14).

If you think about all that Jehovah has done for you, gratitude will naturally move you to dedicate your life to him (read Psalm 116:12-14). The Bible says that “all good gifts and all perfect gifts” come from Jehovah (James 1:17). The most special gift he has given us is the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus. Thanks to that wonderful gift, you have the opportunity to be God’s friend and to live forever (1 John 4:9, 10, 19). One way to thank him for his immense love and all that he has done for you is to dedicate your life to him (Deuteronomy 16:17; 2 Corinthians 5:15). This is discussed in the book Enjoy Life, lesson 46, paragraph 4, which also includes a three-minute video entitled What We Can Give to God.

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