OMG! We hear and see this abbreviation everywhere today. Oh my God! On every reality TV show, you will hear this over and over again. Count them some day. You will be amazed. While a contestant is winning in some game you will hear, Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! It is a very common text response to any semi-amazing assertion sent. In our emails, blogs, twitters, facebook posts, and everyday conversations these three letters (OMG) or three words (Oh my God) are used constantly, carelessly and thoughtlessly. You are probably thinking, “It’s just an innocent expression.”
I suppose it really doesn’t mean anything. After all, if it were some indication of faith in God it would be bleeped out in TV shows and movies. We would be attacked for calling on God in public places. There would be an outcry from the godless. Prohibition signs would appear in schools and at sporting events, WARNING: OMG NOT ALLOWED UNLESS FOLLOWED BY PROFANITY. Since no one objects, it must be an innocent meaningless expression.
Isn’t the use of God’s name as a meaningless expression the definition of “taking God’s name in vain?” James Kennedy, in his book Why The Ten Commandments Matter, says, “When God said in Exodus 20:7, ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,’ He was saying, ‘Do not use My name for emptiness – for no purpose, for no reason, as if My name has no significance.’”
Maybe you use the expression “Oh my God” and believe you always choose those words as a respectful and God honoring tribute. Just to be sure, why not always follow the expression with additional God honoring praise? “Oh my God, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.” Or maybe we could simply add, “How majestic is Thy name in all the earth.” It would be wonderful if every Christian tongue daily pledged these words from Psalm 19, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O my Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.”
If we can use OMG! or Oh my God! carelessly and without purpose to honor and praise our Lord, there is either little spiritual maturity, low spiritual sensitivity, or God’s Word doesn’t matter. You will respond to my bluntness in one of four ways. You will either be in total disagreement, total apathy, convicted of your wrongful use of God’s name, or declare OMG!