We’re
investigating the Ten Commandments, and today we’ll check out #3 - "Do not swear falsely (take
in vain) the name of the LORD..."
God wants to
hear from you. Use His name often. He desires a relationship with you. You need
to get to know him better. Start with prayer. Read the Bible. Think about it,
meditate on what you read. Talk with other Christians. Join a small group or a
Bible study. Pray (you talking to God,) and then look and listen for God
speaking back to you.
This isn’t
about religion – it’s about establishing a relationship. It’s about you
interacting with God. You and God should become best friends. You can’t
“inform” God, because He already knows – He’s God! But you can talk it over
with your new friend, like when you come home from work and your spouse asks,
“How was your day?” It’s good to share your ups and downs, to be able to bend
someone’s ear.
When you call
out for God, mean it. Don't call out for the Lord in vain. I see TV shows where when something has
happened – they secretly remodeled a room, or cooked a special meal or designed
fancy clothing – and then: the Reveal! The people see it for the first time,
their hands go up, their eyes open wide, and they shout, “Oh, my God!” Now,
these people don’t intend anything bad. It’s just something that people say. I
think God understands, but probably also wishes you’d save shouting-out to Him
for the occasions when you really want to reach Him. That's what the Bible says.
Did you know
that God cannot tell a lie? Because He’s incompatible with untruths, using His
name carries a great deal of weight, and also charges the user with a great
deal of responsibility. In a court of law, witnesses place their hand on God’s
Word and swear in His name to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth. If someone doesn’t intend to tell the truth, they shouldn’t use
God’s name. By the way, everything you say should be true, but not everything
true needs to be said.
Next week
we’ll move on to #4, Shabbat, the day of rest.
Norton Lawellin
We’ll worship together this Sunday, Feb. 03, 10:30am Jesus in the
City Fellowship (JICF), in the North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27th
Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis, as we continue preaching our way through Dr. Luke.
NL
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