Day 5 – God is Respectful

Exodus 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” KJV

For Israel:

Pharaoh demanded respect and his name was the name of all names and the god of all gods in Egypt. Pharaoh believed in many deities and made imageries of them. The Israelites were not excluded from worshipping Pharaoh and his gods and had to bow down to them. God needed a strong nation that was loyal to one God and who would respect and honour only Him. He expected obedience from the Israelites and tested them repeatedly. Genesis 1:27 we read that God created human beings in His image. Jesus Christ is born from the bloodline of Abraham and God needs His people to reflect the image of Himself. In Exodus 3:5 and Deuteronomy 4:24, it is said that God is a jealous God. Furthermore, the Israelites were warned that failing to obey this command would influence the children in the third and fourth generations.

For today:

As human beings, we hold our names in high regard and strive to protect them at all times. This is because our names are symbolic of our character and nature, and we always aim to maintain the respect and honor associated with our family names. It is essential to understand this commandment, as it leads us to question our understanding of God and who He is to us. God has many names, and we need to be mindful of which name we are referring to. It is important to recognize and acknowledge God’s greatness and the significance of His name in our lives. As Christians, we are called to exemplify the attributes of Jesus Christ, and by understanding the importance of this commandment, we can better worship God with our hearts and minds. When we use God’s name in a disrespectful, false, or meaningless way, we are taking it in vain, which means using it for no good purpose. There are consequences for doing so, as God is protective of His name and will not let us go unpunished if we misuse it. As Jesus said in Luke 19:40, “if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.” We must always respect the Trinity for who they are, as even the stones understand the importance of God’s name.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reassuring us that we don’t need to be afraid because You have ransomed me. You called all of us by our names, even gave us a name we will be called in heaven. You Lord confessed that I am Yours. Amen. (Scripture to pray Isaiah 43:1)

By Marie Swanepoel for www.womenoftheword.co.za