Worship: Taking God's Name in Vain?

Most parents go through several phases of correcting inappropriate language their children have picked up somewhere--never from home, of course.

A former pastor of mine, trying to reframe his four-year old daughter's undesirable vocabulary, admonished her that whenever she used the word "God," she'd better be ready to pray…or else.  

One day she was riding with him in the car, and he again heard her exclaim, "O, God!"

Immediately catching his accusing glance out of the corner of her eye, she quickly bowed her head, closed her eyes and intoned, "Thank you for …," listing several of her favorite things, followed by "Amen."

He couldn't help but chuckle at her resourcefulness.

My first college roommate and I were both raised in devout Southern Baptist homes. As I look back, we were pretty conservative even for the late 1960s.

At the Christian-based college we attended there were many students who shared similar values as ours. There were also a lot of students who either rebelled at their fundamentalist upbringing and sowed wild oats during that tumultuous era, or who came from families barely recognizable as Christian.

One day my roommate and I were having a discussion about the preponderance of swearing on campus--there was a whole lotta cussin' goin' on.

True to our conservative upbringing, we believed that having a "dirty mouth," while undesirable, was not as bad as swearing, i.e., using God's (or Jesus') name as an expletive.

Since childhood, we'd been admonished that taking God's name in vain was a "thou shalt not" from The Ten Commandments. In other words, don't do it…or else.

Part of our discussion that day centered around the meaning of the phrase "taking God's name in vain." My roommate said that her dad once told her it meant to use God's name "insincerely." That definition has stuck with me through the years.

Not that every word that has ever poured from my lips has exactly been worthy of broadcasting, but generally I am not prone to using salty language (probably due to lack of usage during my formative years) .

The list of society's "bad" words is still evolving, but those words don't come to my mind very often, even when I'm angry or upset.

However (lest I appear annoyingly pious), according to my roommate's definition, I am definitely guilty of taking God's name in vain. This sometimes happens during worship, most often when I am singing.

Now, as a musician who has been "churched" all my life, I could probably be a successful contestant if there were ever a church music version of the old TV game show, Don't Forget the Lyrics.

I can sing verse after verse of dozens of hymns and gospel songs, sacred solos and oratorios, mostly from memory.

The problem is, it's too easy to sing only notes and words. To sing without engaging voice with mind and heart. To sing glibly or insincerely. To "take God's name in vain."

This is not just a "musician's curse"; it happens to non-musicians, too. In order to worship authentically, worshippers must focus on God, not just on matching notes and words correctly.

Author Gary Thomas (Sacred Pathways) reflects, "It amazes me how casually I can sing songs of deep, almost heroic commitment. It's as if I think, 'As long as I'm singing, the words I say don't really matter. God knows it's just a song.'

While my mind wanders I promise to bow before the Lord, to proclaim His name, …to go so far as to die to express my faith. Yet these words may be sung with scarcely more emotion than I feel when I'm ordering a hamburger."

Singing words glibly or just going-through-the-motions on Sunday mornings is not worship at all. Worship, like being Christian, involves much more than just showing up at church.

Authentic worshippers can't simply walk into a church building and slide into a pew with an indifferent attitude toward God: "Hey, I'm here, aren't I? What else could you possibly want?"

True worship is akin to active listening vs. passive listening. True worship requires intentionality and sustained effort--and God is worthy of our true worship.

Matthew 22 says to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." We are to offer our whole selves to God as an acceptable sacrifice during worship. To do less is to dishonor God.

"You are worthy, Father, Creator; You are worthy, Savior, Sustainer. You are worthy, worthy and wonderful; Worthy of worship and praise."*

See you in worship this Sunday - Naomi

*from Worthy of Worship, in Celebrating Grace Hymnal

Cave Song

During seminary around 1990, I served a Louisville, KY church as Associate Minister of Music. In addition, I had some Children's Ministry responsibilities that included assisting our on-the-ball Children's Sunday School Department director with her annual 2-day educational/fun trip for older children.

One summer her itinerary included a tour of Kentucky's Mammoth Cave. Our group of 30 or so gathered with about 70 other tourists for the historic tour of this national landmark.

As everyone began the descent down the long stairway into the massive rotunda, I covered the rear flank, rounding up any stray children from our group.

A friendly Assistant Park Ranger fell in step with me as we followed everyone down the narrow staircase. He began asking questions about our group, and at some point I mentioned that I was a seminary music student.

He immediately said, "Oh! Would you like to sing in the cave?" Oddly embarrassed, I quickly blurted, "No!", and we moved on to other conversation.

The Senior Ranger had already begun his narrative as we reached the bottom of the stairs. I quietly found my group and edged into the crowd, forgetting all about the Assistant Ranger. This was my first tour of the cave as an adult, so I became really engrossed in its history as an ammunitions warehouse and later as a tuberculosis hospital.

The Senior Ranger soon began telling a wonderful story about the gigantic "Methodist Church" boulder prominently featured in the rotunda. Long ago, a congregation used to gather in the cave for Sunday worship services, and the preacher would stand atop the boulder to deliver his sermons. No microphone needed, for sure.

As the Senior Ranger wrapped up his presentation, I noticed that the Assistant Ranger had circled down to the front. He leaned over to interrupt his boss, whispering something in his ear.

A moment later, the Senior Ranger announced, "I understand someone wants to sing." At first I looked around to see who it was, but after what seemed a long silence, one of the children poked me in the side, and I suddenly realized he was talking about me!

Within a split second, my thoughts moved from "How embarrassing!" to "I'm gonna git that Assistant Ranger!" to "Oh, my, what song would be appropriate?"

An instant later I thought of a hymn I had memorized as a child. I quickly reviewed the lyrics in my head. Then as the crowd stood silently, I inhaled deeply and began to sing a cappella:

"Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee…"

My self-consciousness quickly evaporated as I relished the experience of singing inside that wonderfully acoustical, historic landmark. I'm sure the notes are still resonating somewhere deep within the cave.

Afterwards, as we continued on the tour, I thought to myself, "You just never know when you're going to have an opportunity to do something special for God!"

We all prepare ourselves for God's service every time we fill ourselves with "spiritual things": Learning songs of the faith. Memorizing scripture. Praying. Reading books and articles about discipleship and Christianity. Discussing matters of faith with friends and family.

Observing master teachers and engaging ministry mentors. Taking seminary classes. Studying to teach Sunday School or Vacation Bible School. Practicing conducting or sermon delivery or…the list goes on and on.

Then suddenly, God puts a new opportunity right in front of us. And we discover we're ready!

Unknowingly, we've been preparing for this "God moment" all along. We are amazed at how the Spirit has been at work in our lives.

All that remains now is for us to step forward boldly with a resounding "Yes!"  

See you in worship this Sunday - Naomi