“Father, hallowed be your name.” Luke 11:1
Do you see the shadow of the Ten Commandments looming over those words, woven through them? 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.”
We are told from childhood onward the two biggies: the GD and the JC, but these are only two ways to misuse God’s name. Many people who stuffed soap in our mouths nonchalantly misused his name by word and deed in many ways.
We surely use God’s name in vain when we make it part of a curse, but we also use God’s name in vain when we use it for no good purpose - for a purpose other than that for which it was given.1
When we claim the name of Christ but habitually live like the world we misuse the name of God. When we claim the title “Christian” or use the name of God to lie, steal, or cheat, we profane the name of God. Claiming all manner of vile behavior as God-pleasing, and worse yet God-ordained, is also not a hallowing of his name. It is using His name to legitimize sin. It is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: the attribution of evil to God.
Prayer: Lord God, give me the faith to fear and love you so that I do not misuse your name by cursing or swearing or using it to deceive others. In all my words and actions may I proclaim your name so as to give you honor and to show the world your grace and mercy, and kindly forgive me when I fall short of hallowing your name. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
It was given so people would know who God is:
“If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them? God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, I am has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:13-14