In Vain or In Power?

April 26

“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,” Exodus 20:7

The commandments of the Lord are not grievous. Those who profess faith in the One, true and living God, Creator of heaven and earth, the One who is “Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9:6, the One who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever,” Hebrews 13:8, the One whose Word is “yea and amen,” II Corinthians 1:20, does not require man to do anything that is not ultimately beneficial to man himself.

But He does exact a high expectation where His Holy Name is concerned. He has said in His Commandments that man must never take His name in vain (see Exodus 20:7. We hear the name of Jesus bantered about by many who would never darken the door of a church. Unfortunately, there are some who do profess to know Him as Savior who also use His name irreverently.

Those episodes of blasphemy are inexcusable, but there is another way in which His name is employed in vain and that is not a way that is recognized for what it is, even among those who purport themselves to be knowledgeable of His Word and its meaning. Perhaps there are Bible scholars who would dispute the following, but its veracity is undeniable.

Besides blatant misuse of the name of Jesus, most of Christendom also takes His name in vain with the best of intentions! How many times have we prayed earnest prayers in Jesus’ name without seeing any results other than our own disappointment? Can the lack of answers to our sincere supplications in Jesus’ name be because we are using His name in vain? If so, how are we misusing the only holy name upon the earth, the only name given under heaven whereby men might be saved? (See Acts 4:12.)

Please ponder for a moment this one thought: If a prayer goes unanswered, it has been in vain. It has been to no avail. That is not to say that every prayer that crosses our lips has to have been conceived in the mind of God, but the Word does tell us that prayer prayed in accordance with His will shall be done.

Indeed, 1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, He hears us: And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask shall be done.” Why then does so much of what we ask remain undone?

Perhaps it is because we have prayed in vain; perhaps it is because that even in using the Lord’s name, our prayer has been in vain. How can that possibly be? Because anything that is of none effect is in vain. Anything that is without purpose is in vain. If we beseech the Lord God Almighty and our prayers are without faith, our supplication must be in vain!

The Word tells us as much! James 1:6 says, “When you ask, you must believe and not doubt. A man who doubts is like the waves of the sea, driven and tossed. Let him not think that he shall receive anything from the Lord.”

Does it not behoove us then to “Ask in faith, nothing wavering,” as James begins this verse? Yes, it does! May we cultivate that sense of expectancy in our prayers, that sense of trust that relies on the integrity of the One who promised, so our prayers will not be in vain, but in power!