HIS NAME
Today's reading:  Leviticus 22-24

"Do not treat my holy name as common or ordinary..."  Leviticus 22:32 NLT

Blame it on how I was raised, if you must, but there's the part of me that still cringes whenever I hear someone say, Oh my God--or it's attempt-to-be-cleaned-up substitute, Oh my Gosh.

I heard it this week from the mouths of some of our visiting VBS-ers and I've been hearing it more and more from church folks.

Is it profanity?  Is it as bad as some of the phrases that put God's name before other four-letter words?  Is it even noticed or considered unbecoming or sacrilegious?

How can we choose to flippantly throw God's name around when we value and honor His name as one we can call upon for every need we may have?  Isn't that making His name ordinary?  Common?  Just another part of our everyday conversation?

Should we talk about God?  Yes, on all accounts, yes.  Should we we praise Him by mentioning what He has done for us?  Yes, absolutely, yes!  Should we call out to Him when we need what only He can provide?  Yes, and yes.  Should we place a little, no a lot, more value on how holy His name is and when we choose to use it?  A hundred times, yes!

My God is not common or ordinary, and I will begin again to do my best to not allow His name to become so in my life--and in what I say!