We all know how important it is to be careful in how we use our words when addressing others, especially with our employers and even more so with our spouses. The wrong words can lead to an unwanted argument. Sometimes, we have to be so careful with our wording that we need a lawyer to review and document them to keep from legal retaliation.
Most people are usually very careful not to say something to offend others, and if they do, they are very quick to apologize. Yet, this is not always the case for all parties, especially with the person who counts the most. The person I am referring to is God. Do you ever think about how you might offend God with your words? Certainly, God is offended when we say things that hurt others. But I think the most overlooked offense is the misuse of His name. It is not an offense that is intentional in most cases, but nonetheless, it is an offense that we need to be careful of. Let me show you why.
In the Bible, God Himself tells us that it is dishonoring to use His name in an unholy way. That is to use His name flippantly or derogatorily. When God gave His Ten Commandments, the third command had to do with the use of His name. He said, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” – Exodus 20:7. This is a very serious charge. We might think that taking the Lord’s name in vain refers to only using it in derogatory and blasphemous ways, such as swearing. However, the mindless saying “Oh my ___.” would as well be offensive to God. The reason is that it shows irreverence, treating the Lord in an unholy manner. Amazingly, very few would use their mother’s name in such vain ways but think little about the Lord’s name and how it is used.
The next time you use or hear the Lord’s name used in vain, think about how costly those words could be. Rather than using the Lord’s name in vain, we should do as Psalm 96:8 says and “Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name.”
Would you like to know more? Call us at 425-432-0634 or contact us at www.taylorcreekchurch.org. Join us this Sunday at 9 AM for Sunday School and 10:15 AM for Worship. We are located at 21110 244th Ave. S.E., Maple Valley.
