I pay for groceries and the check-out attendant says, "Thank you, Mrs. LeBlanc!" Sometimes they pronounce it correctly, but oftentimes they say "La-BLANK" or stumble over it apologetically.
When I married my husband, I wore a white dress, vowed to love and honor him through all my days, and became a LeBlanc. I took his name as my own, changing my driver's license and social security card to make it official.
When we become a Christian, we take the name of Christ and use it to identify ourselves. Lately I've been mulling over the seriousness of that name-change. If we profess to be Christian, we are "taking the Lord's name." We equate the command not to take the Lord's name in vain with profanity, but what if we profess to belong to Christ (we are His church, His bride, part of His family) and the name change is the only change we make? What if people stumble over the idea that I am a Christian; they had no idea or see nothing in me to merit the name-change?
What if His name, when used as my own, contains no value? Is that not vanity? Have I not, then, taken the Lord's name in vain? For nothing?
Jesus paid a high price for us. He has plans for us, for great futures of hope. He remembers us by the marks in His hands.
What can I give in return?
Fabulous post! Love this! Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteI love this context. What a humbling a beautiful way to look at it. Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing way to look at that commandment. I think we all fall short. Hallelujah that Jesus knows are heart and that he gives us grace in abundance.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post! Josh spoke about this awhile back and your post reminded me of his wonderful sermon. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for shaaring
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