thesoulpurposedotorg

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7 KJV)
My brothers and sisters, above all, do not use an oath when you make a promise. Don’t use the name of heaven, earth, or anything else to prove what you say. When you mean yes, say only yes, and when you mean no, say only no so you will not be judged guilty. (James 5:12 NCV)

I think the third commandment is the most misunderstood of all ten. I grew up afraid God would strike me down for saying Gosh or Darn much less swearing “real” swear words. Don’t get me wrong. There is way too much profanity across the airwaves, in the workplace and on the playground. I get weary of the “F” word lacing through everyday conversation. But profanity has little or nothing to do with the third commandment given to us by God through Moses.

This commandment is about the power of the God’s name and not misusing that power. The simple example of this would be praying to win the lottery or the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstake. And I have to admit that sometimes in jest I pray that God will wipe out the fat calories in something I should not eat. I should not pray this way but I’m counting on God’s sense of humor….perhaps it’s time to stop that one. Another way God’s name is taken in vain is when we lightly claim what Jesus would or would not do when our New Testament gives no evidence that our opinion is that of Jesus the Christ.

On the flip side, to pray in the name of Jesus Christ is to pray with power and authority. It is not something to be done thoughtlessly or as if we are just signing off before we say “Amen”. When we pray in Jesus name, we are calling on the forces of Heaven to make so what we have asked. So let us be careful and deliberate in what we ask for in prayer. And let us not be casual about assuming we know what Jesus would or would not due. This is far more important than the occasional profanity that might cross our lips. Pray as though your prayers have power and importance rather than in vain.