Lent
March 2, 2015

Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:1-17

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. — Exodus 20:7

Growing up I memorized the Ten Commandments from the King James Version of the Bible where verse seven reads: 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. As a child I was definitely taught that that commandment included not using God’s name as a swear word. Now we toss it around casually, probably not even relating the reference to God. It has become slang, reduced to initials, OMG. I have used the phrase, Oh my God, when I have heard something extraordinarily good or bad, but I don’t have a clue what it means. It is just an exclamation that can be made when there is nothing else to say. Perhaps in some such instance it is a quick little prayer that incorporates God into a conversation of concern. When someone says something like “There was a 50 car pileup on the interstate, they don’t know how many people were hurt.” “Oh, my God” might be an appropriate response. I fear, most often, it is just a catchy, empty phrase.

While I think what I have just said does apply to this commandment, I do think it has a deeper meaning. I think we are being warned not to speak for God unless we are on very solid ground. Jesus put us on solid ground when he responded to the question, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’(Mark 12:28b-34)

Just out of curiosity I Googled the phrase “In the name of God” and got 640,000,000 responses. I wonder how many of these responses are made on the solid foundation of loving God and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. How many times do we cite God as our reference when we are actually the author of the thought?

Prayer: Lord, keep me based in your love and Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.