Exodus 20:7 – You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. (NKJV)

Recently, while dining out with some friends and acquaintances, one person at our table began a tirade about the food that had been presented that evening, using Christ's name in vain. This has happened on more than one occasion, so I made a personal commitment to call him on this behaviour. Then, when given the opportunity, I let him know that the name of someone I love, used in this derogatory manner, is offensive to me by stating, "Please don't use Jesus Christ's name in your negative speech." He replied, "I love Jesus too; I never realized that pronouncing His name in that manner would be unacceptable to you." With that statement, one of the others in my company proceeded to quote our Scripture for today.

This experience led me to realize that many people who use God's name in vain really don't understand that their language is offensive to those of us who revere the Lord. This particular individual became pensive after our initial exchange, saying that it would be difficult for him to change, since he has been speaking this way his whole life. However, it is not an impossible habit to break. The answer is simple: The more we get to know God through the revelation of His Word, the more we will love His Son Jesus Christ; His wonderful name will become precious to us.

At this point, I was drawn to the Scriptures to help me understand the significance of the believer's adoration for the name of the Lord. The people of the Bible were very conscious of the meaning of names. They believed that there was a vital connection between the name and the person which it identified; nowhere is this connection more important than in the names referring to God.

Jesus taught us how to address the Father in the following manner: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name." (Matthew 6:9b NKJV) The dictionary defines "hallowed" as sanctified; consecrated, honoured, revered, and holy: belonging to or derived from or associated with a divine power, worthy of religious reverence; "the sacred name of Jesus".

Therefore, let us assist others, as the situations arise, to understand the importance of God's name and how it should be used. A hymn familiar to many, which describes our love and admiration for the name of Jesus is entitled "The name of Jesus is so sweet". Let us pay close attention to the words:

The name of Jesus is so sweet,
I love its music to repeat;
It makes my joys full and complete,
The precious name of Jesus!

Refrain
"Jesus," O how sweet the name!
"Jesus," every day the same;
"Jesus," let all saints proclaim
Its worthy praise forever!

       by William C. Martin

Have you called on Jesus today? Then, let others know how much His name means to you.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come in adoration to You for Your many blessings. We thank You for giving us Your Son, Jesus Christ, Whose name we revere. Our hearts rejoice as we think about how Jesus suffered, died, and rose again to gain us our salvation and our eternal home in Your presence. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author: