God's Name In Vain

Deuteronomy 5:11

I really like people who do not speak much, but when they do it is powerful. They have something worthwhile to say. Often without trying they command such respect. I remember being in a meeting one time, and it seemed like everyone had an opinion on the topic. Long story short, one guy stood up and said something really dumb. When his proposal was voted down, people cheered. I had seen this old man sitting in the crowd, and after the cheering, he stood up and went to the microphone. He reprimanded the entire auditorium (about 1,500 people), and everyone felt embarrassed. I looked over at the group I was with and said, "I want to be like that guy".

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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.

Deuteronomy 5:11

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Sometime you should listen to people talk. Pay attention to how many empty words they use. Slang and curses that do not even make sense within the context they are used. Expression simply for the purpose of having something to say. Pointless babbling to hear one's self speak. It might surprise you at the percentage of useless words we utter. That is vain communication.

The word "vain" here means empty, false, or worthless. This commandment says that we should not utter God's name in a worthless, empty or false way. Psalm 30:4 says that we are to praise God's "Holy name". God's Name is above all other names. This is why we are to treat it differently. Somewhere along the lines we lost sight of this. We wanted a familiarity with God because He is our Father, but we forgot that He is still holy. We speak the Name of God and Jesus so often that we have lost our reverence. Now they get used as curses and slang terms. Instead of being Holy, God's Name is used to make empty statements and false assertions. Simply put, because of our empty overuse, God's Name carries no weight today to society.

While this condition may be true for those around us, it does not have to be true for us. We can choose to keep God's Name holy when we use it. We can limit our use of His Name. We can only speak it when we speak the truth. We can set a standard for the world that we live in. We can remember that God said He would not hold us guiltless if we take His Name in vain.

Imagine that for just a moment. What if God knocked people off their feet every time they said "Oh my God"? How many people do you know who would spend their whole day picking themselves up off the ground? We need to remember that God's Name is holy, and there are consequences for taking His Name in vain, even if we do not see them right away.

Father, we misuse Your Name because we have lost respect and reverence for it. Open our eyes that we may see. Give us a perspective on Your holiness that we have not seen before. Help us to glorify You, and not bring reproach on Your Name.