His Name

This past Sunday my Pastor, Chad Graves, presented a message from the text of the 3rd Commandment:

"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." Exodus 20:7.

I can not remember a time hearing this passage so clearly taught.  I believe that I have not truly understood this passage until now.  Forever I have only looked at this commandment as a warning against using the Lord's name in vain or in instances of cursing someone or something. I have never considered this commandment seriously and in the full context in which it was given.

Growing up I remember my dad telling us to always remember everywhere we go we are representing our God, our Family, and our Church.  This was one of those life lessons that I have always remembered (maybe not always followed as I should).  Through the message Sunday morning I was drawn back to this lesson from my dad and I believe it was finally solidified in my heart.

I am not going to attempt to re write the entire message.  If you would like to hear more you can listen to the service from Pauline here. 

Only a portion of this commandment is dealing with how we speak the name of the Lord.  I know I should only speak the name of God in complete holy reverence for who he is.  The context of this scripture deals with how we represent God in our lives as Lord of our lives.  Through salvation I now have a new identity, I have been bought by a price. In Galatians 2:20 Paul sums this thought up so clearly.  I do not want to live my life as if Christ died for nothing.  He died for me so I could have eternal life.  When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we take his name. 

I know that in my life I am guilty of taking on multiple identities or names at different times.  I take on identity from my job, from my family, and from my hobbies.  Altough these identities are not necessarily bad it is not the identity that is true to who I am.  My take home from this past Sunday is I need to clearly identify myself.  I need to strive to stay away from the corrupt identities of this world and also to be more conscience of representing my God as my identity and foundation.  In all things I must represent my God first and the rest are only modifiers of who I am.

Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. Isaiah 26:8