I recently had a new revelation of a very familiar passage of Scripture, one that has affected me in profound ways.
It’s changing how I pray.
It’s changing what I pray for.
It’s a way to glorify God that you can implement right now — wherever you are — whatever you are doing.
Having grown up in a Christian home, I memorized the Lord’s Prayer as a child:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.”
Matthew 6:9-13
Jesus’ disciples saw the intimacy of His relationship with God. They overheard the words He spoke to God. They asked Him to teach them how to pray.
In response, He gave this beautiful prayer as a model. Yet I bet they never imagined He’d invite them into the same intimacy He shared with God, telling them to call Him Father.
Jesus lived for the glory of God. Is it a surprise that in giving a model prayer, God’s glory was the very first thing He said to ask for?
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
I’ve interpreted that sentence as a command to spend time worshiping God before asking for the things I need. While that’s important, I no longer believe that was Jesus’ main point.
Jesus was teaching what to pray for. He said we are to ask God to hallow His name.
The phrase “God’s name” speaks of the fullness of who God is, the totality of His perfection. To hallow God’s name is to revere, stand in awe of, adore, love, and gaze upon the beauty of all God is. I believe this is exactly how Jesus’ disciples heard Him pray.
As I’ve reexamined the Lord’s Prayer, I’ve discovered that every request that follows is hallowing God’s name.
When God’s kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven, His name is hallowed.
When we receive from Him our daily bread — the life of Christ in us supplying all we need to live for His glory — His name is hallowed.
As we forgive others and receive God’s forgiveness, as we resist a temptation and walk free from sin, God’s name is hallowed. He is glorified!
God has chosen to work on this earth through the prayers of His people. Is it possible that, at least in part, God’s name is so greatly slandered on this earth because His people aren’t asking God to hallow His name? Is it possible that we don’t live for God’s glory because we’re simply not asking for the privilege of doing so? What if all God’s people across this great earth asked Him every day to hallow His name?
Those of us who are God’s people, a people who are called by His name, should take this command of Jesus very seriously.
One day, every person in heaven, on earth and under the earth will hallow the name of Jesus. May all people do so now — To God be the glory.
This is way #5 of 52 Ways to Glorify God. I desperately hope you will join me, and:
#5 Ask God to hallow His name.
Father, cause Your name to be revered, loved, and adored. Open the eyes of all men to your beauty.
Father, Hallow Your Name.
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