Periodically, I like to open up my Lutheran Catechism and
review some of the basic tenets of the faith. Today, I found myself in the
commandments, specifically the one that says: 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.
Then Luther adds: What does this mean?
We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear,
conjure, lie, or deceive, by His Name, but call upon Him in every time of need
and worship Him with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.
This explanation of the command always brings me back to my
conversion, my return to the Father’s ranch as a broken prodigal. One day I was
a careless spewer of obscenities and curses, throwing the name of Jesus around
with a sneer, and the next day, His name flowed out of my lips like honey! And
if I heard anyone curse with my Lord’s name, I was cut to the heart! (I still
am)
I can’t explain why He took my foul mouth away, but I’m glad
He did. Perhaps it is the deep down gratitude of my soul for what Jesus has
done for me on the cross. And from that day when I returned to the ranch as a
broken prodigal, I have been compelled by the Holy Spirit to worship Jesus with
prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.
I am not deserving of this grace he has bestowed on me, but
it sure comes in handy in my every time of need, a need such as the one that we
are all facing in our world today. May
the Holy Spirit touch your heart in such a way that even in the midst of this
crisis you are able to worship Him with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.
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