It’s one on the most common acronyms now…OMG! The texting world has infected our day-to-day speech.
Of course you know that OMG is an acronym for “Oh My God!
These days, people very casually say “OMG” to express surprise, astonishment, amazement, shock, disbelief, etc., without any thought they are referring to God.
But, OMG isn’t just referring to God…it proclaims to “MY” God! The one true and living God!
We all know that the bible commands that we don’t take the NAME of the Lord in vain…
Exodus 20:7 (NKJV)
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
…but does OMG do that? It’s not like using His name when cursing, as so many people do…is it?
Well, what is GOD’S name? God is referred to by names that convey His essence…Yahweh, Elohim, I AM.
And, what is taking His name in vain? It’s MISUSING it…reducing it…blaspheming it…
But, taking His name in vain goes beyond the misuse of the combination of consonants and vowels by which He is called… but His essence, His character, His personality… His authority.
When we call Him ‘God’, we are saying who and what He is…, and that is His name.
Exodus 3:14 (NKJV)
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
We are only to make reference to Him in respect, honor and reverence….never casually…never flippantly.
When God commanded that He be referred to only in reverence provided a necessary boundary to protect the His honor due to His name and authority.
Some expressions should only be used when we are crying out to God, in humility or with an attitude of worship.
Be careful how you say, write, type or text…
“Oh my God!”
“Oh my Lord!”
“My God!”
“Lord have mercy!”
“OMG!”
“Good God!” should only be proclaimed when you REALLY mean ‘God is good’.
Even “Hallelujah!” …Jah (Yah) in Hallelujah is referring to God. (This is said much too casually in many popular secular songs)
Too many Christians are accepting as okay being down right silly when referring to the one true living God…
“Oh Lawd!”
“Oh Lort!”
“Lawd ham mercy!”…
Are all disrespectful and beneath God’s holiness.
Think of the when Jesus cried out, “My God!” on the cross…
Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Remember…you don’t have to say the horrible “GD” word to take God’s ‘name’ in vain.
Whenever you see or hear “OMG”…notice the context and ask yourself, “Did that honor God?” “Was that in humility?” “Was that necessary?”
Just say “Wow!” instead…it takes the same number of letters.
BE BLESSTIFIED!
BE BLESSTIFIED! 