"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain".

What does your name mean? Do you know why your parents chose that name for you?

We don't get to give a name to or define God - instead God names Himself and gives that name to His people so that we can call upon His name for help. This is the act of a loving Father to His children.

The Hebrew commandment literally tells His people not to 'carry,' 'bear,' or 'lift up,' their spiritual family name in an unworthy way. It is like everywhere we go and in everything we do we are wearing the name of God and we should not bring Him into disgrace. Unfortunately every sin is bearing God's name in an unworthy manner. Who could ever live up to the responsibility?

There is one true Son of God who does. Listen to Peter Leithart: "As the Living Name, Jesus bears the full weight of the Father's name, bears it until it crushes and renders Him nameless. He suffers our indifference and hypocrisy all the way to the Cross. And so the Father raises Him and gives Him a name above every other Name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. The Living Name went silent so that the nation's would one day proclaim the name of the LORD".

If you get a chance, listen to "What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus" before you pray.