Scripture: Exodus 20:7, Exodus 3:13-17
Dear Church,
Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
That’s how I learned it when I was a child and this is what they told me it meant:
Don’t swear.
Don’t say, ‘Oh God!’ when you are annoyed or angry. Don’t say the word God unless you are consciously talking to or about God. Speak with reverence and care when you are speaking about God.
But what if there are many other ways we take God’s name in vain?
I’m still an advocate for using the word God with care. But now I believe that the holy limit we receive here demands more than care about when and how we say God’s name. Here the Holy One requires us to consider, not only all the ways we say God’s name, but also all the ways we use God’s name to justify and pseudo-sanctify our own sinful choices.
The hard truth is, we can break this command without ever opening our mouths.
I hope you can join us as we seek God for truth about what it means to take God’s name in vain–and also for a vision and grace to do the opposite and fulfill the prayer that Jesus gave us and hallow God’s name, not just in our speaking but in the fullness of our living.
Peace,
Pastor Kate
Want to chat about what you have heard? Click here:
https://www.thegrovecharlotte.org/connect-with-us
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS