Respect the Name

"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain." Exodus 20:7 BSB

Last week a video of a man proposing to his beloved at mile 16 of the New York City Marathon went viral. It seems he hopped the barrier just as his girlfriend ran by, got down on one knee and popped the question. She said yes as people cheered and then ran off to finish the race. Romantic right? Not according to the author of an article titled, "Please Dear God Don’t Propose to Me in the Middle of a Marathon." It's not the content of the article that bothered me though. It's the use of God's name in vain. 

And while we live in a world where it's become commonplace and acceptable to say OMG to express happiness, annoyance and a host of other emotions, it's still a sin. In fact the Bible tells us that "the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain." You see, God's name is the Name above all names - and as Creator of the universe He deserves our highest honor, esteem and respect. To use His name in an irreverent manner in any way then is not only a violation of the Third Commandment but a conveyance of contempt for the very One who made us.

P.G. Ryken says it this way, "To dishonor God’s name in any way is to denigrate his holiness. It is a way of saying that God himself is worthless." So be careful how you speak my friend. His Name deserves nothing less than our utmost respect and reverence.  

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that your Name is not just a Name, it reveals all that You are and is to be honored and respected the same way that You are. Help us Lord to never use it in vain but to proclaim boldly to all the world that nothing has the power to save but Your high and holy name. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Your Name - Phillips, Craig and Dean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzviEHyIggI