"Thou shalt not take the name
of the LORD thy God in vain, for the LORD will not hold
him guiltless. . ."
How very common it is today to hear
the name of the LORD God taken in vain. In the store or
on the playground, we hear children from toddlers to
teens say "My God!" for any infraction in their plans.
They use the name of GOD as a part of punctuation in
common conversation, perhaps never knowing that they are
defaming their Creator.
Where do our little ones learn such
blaspheming and cursing? From the older generation who
think nothing of peppering their daily talk with
obscenities. Even some, who call themselves "Christians"
abuse the name of God. Some curse, using Jesus’
name--the name given by the Angel to Mary at the
pronouncement of His birth.
GOD is damned daily--sometimes hourly
or more often by many. Jesus Christ is called out in
curses for their slightest exclamation. Don’t these
people know that God commanded, "Thou shalt not take the
name of the LORD. . .in vain?" How very crass and
uncaring--as well as ignorant and uncouth!
In the Old Testament, we read that
anyone who cursed his father or mother would be put to
death. Cursing today is as common as water. People
"damn" this one or that one without a thought as to what
they are saying. Even television and radio commentators
use foul language calling on body excrement to cover
people, or casting condemnations on one another’s
"hinder parts."
Uncouth and corrupt speech is not
becoming to anyone, let alone to those who claim Christ
as Saviour. Let us determine not to curse, use foul
language, or express our anger or disapproval of things
or people with common curse words, unclean language, and
the taking of God’s name in vain. (ysw)
"SET YOUR HEART TO CHRIST"
Today deliberately take your heart
devotion and desire from everything, And set your heart
affection on things above, Where Christ sitteth on the right hand
of God. (GGS)
