Your Daily Devotional for August 7, 2007

 

August 7,  2007

 

 

God's Sacred Name

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"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

 

 

According to an Antelope Valley Press poll conducted in March of 2006, the use of profanity in American culture is increasing. Nearly Seventy-five percent of people questioned, said they encounter profanity in public either frequently or occasionally. Two-thirds said they think people swear more often than they did twenty years ago.

 

Everywhere we go in our society we hear God's name taken in vain. It is like a slap in the face when people use God's name in vain. But what is in a name? All of us are concerned about our good name. There are laws in the land against slander. But what about God's name? As our Creator, He is worthy of our respect and our reverence. We see in the third commandment that God wants us to keep His name sacred. God's name is preeminent, and we should strive to keep it that way in our lives.

 

God's name is a holy name. God's names, titles, and descriptions in Scripture express and teach us what He is in Himself and His relation to His creation. Matthew 6:9 says, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." God commands us to pray in His holy name!

 

While many people today fail to see the importance of keeping God's name sacred, the scribes who copied the Old Testament took extra steps to make sure God's holy name was preserved. When they would come to one of the names for God, they would stop their writing, put their pens down, and pick up a new pen. Before they wrote the name Jehovah, the four letters YHWH, they would get up, go to their private quarters and bathe, put on clean clothes, confess their sins, and return to work. They wanted to make sure nothing they did brought disgrace to the name of God.

 

Not only is God's name holy, but it should be highly exalted as well. Philippians 2:9-10 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." God has highly exalted His name and He desires that we would exalt it as well! God's name is not just another word in our vocabulary. It should be a sacred and reverenced name that is used only in glorifying Him!

 

Sir Christopher Wren was an architect who designed many wonderful buildings including St. Paul's Cathedral in London. As the overseer of the construction, he placed signs around the construction which said, "Due to the heinous custom of laborers to take the name of the Lord in vain, each person is placed on notice that it shall be sufficient cause for dismissal if the name of God is heard taken in vain in this place."

 

God's name is a holy and highly exalted name. Although our society thinks nothing of using God's name in a negative way, we must, as His children, seek to uplift and praise His name. We must not sit idly by as others tear down our Lord's name, but should stand up for Him and lift His name up to its rightful place.

 

Are you uplifting God's name in your speech? Are you seeking to glorify His name in all you do? Make sure that your speech and your life is honoring to Him. Do not let others disrespect God's name. Let them know in a kind and loving way that you respect and reverence God's name. Ask God to help you honor and glorify His name in your life today.

 

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

Psalm 72-73 • Romans 9:1-15

 

 

 

 

 

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