Our best Friend's Name...

It makes me cringe...

Shudder...

To hear the name of my Lord used lightly. With a Jest.

No, I'm not just talking about the really horrible stuff. Although that still makes me cringe terribly. Because those who say those things likely don't know Him...

"Oh my..."

"Oh my Word..."

Could it be even this term refers to our Friend?

"Oh Dear..."

Why the last one? Maybe derived from this:

"Dear Heavenly Father..."

Is it just me, or do these terms sound like a reference to our Savior, or our Heavenly Father?

Exodus 20:7: "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."

It is a serious thing to take the name of the Creator of everything lightly.

But even though it makes me cringe, shudder, and silently cry to hear my dear Savior's name taken lightly, or with contempt, there is another thing that doesn't make me cringe and shudder nearly enough...

When I take the name Christian to myself...

And don't mean it...

I'm just as guilty as the person using His dear name lightly in speech.

No.

Much worse.

"Oh, how greatly Christ is dishonored by those who, professing to be Christians, disgrace the name they bear by failing to make their lives correspond to their profession, by failing to treat one another with the love and respect that God expects them to reveal in kind words and courteous acts!"  'Testimonies', volume 8, pg. 248.  

Yes, my poor example dishonors Christ. Oh, what a tragedy!

Oh, may I always allow Him to be so much a part of me, that I never take that name in vain! This is my fondest hope, my greatest goal...

I'll end with one more thought from my favorite author, outside of God's word:

"May 14, 1851, I saw the beauty and loveliness of Jesus. As I beheld His glory, the thought did not occur to me that I should ever be separated from His presence. I saw a light coming from the glory that encircled the Father, and as it approached near to me, my body trembled and shook like a leaf. I thought that if it should come near me I would be struck out of existence, but the light passed me. Then could I have some sense of the great and terrible God with whom we have to do. I saw then what faint views some have of the holiness of God, and how much they take His holy and reverend name in vain, without realizing that it is God, the great and terrible God, of whom they are speaking. While praying, many use careless and irreverent expressions, which grieve the tender Spirit of the Lord and cause their petitions to be shut out of heaven."  'Early Writings', pg.70

I ever want my in petitions to reach Heaven.

I can't live any other way.

I pray each of us can be Christians, not in name only.