PRAYING LIKE JESUS: Hallowed Be Your Name
In Luke 11:1-2, we read, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’ … He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name.”’
Jesus wants us to pray that everyone on earth, including ourselves, will hallow the name of God.
The NAME of God stands for all he is and does. Names like Coke, Nike, Apple or BMW represent the companies and their products. The name of God represents God himself. For example:
Proverbs 18:10 The Name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Isaiah 30:27 See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke;
HALLOWED means to be considered holy—venerated and worthy of respect. In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln said, “We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot HALLOW this ground, for it has already been HALLOWED by the blood of the men who…gave their lives on this soil.”
When we pray, “Hallowed be your name,” we pray that everyone on earth will recognize God as holy, worthy of respect, and valued above all others.
The Lord’s Prayer begins with recognizing God! He is in first place, above all!
We don’t begin with ourselves and our needs. So often, prayer is about “I need…I want…please give me…heal, guide, bless, protect…” Those can be good things to ask for, but we do well to first recognize that every good thing depends upon God’s good name. When his name is hallowed, life is good.
WHEN WE PRAY HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME, WE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT GOD IS THE FOUNDATION OF LIFE.
-We recognize that God is the CREATOR AND SUSTAINER of everything.
Psalms 8:1 says, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is YOUR NAME in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”
We stare in wonder at the stars, and the more we learn about the forces that hold the universe together—from infinitesimal quantum dimensions to the vast expanses of the universe—the more we are in awe of the One who holds the universe in the palm of his hand.
We study the diversity of plants, the instincts of animals, or the intricacies of DNA, and we are in awe of the wisdom and plan of God.
We contemplate humanity, and when we consider the wonder of the human mind and emotions, the mysteries of sexuality and relationships, and the creativity of art and technology, we give glory to God for creating us in such a marvelous way.
In our prayers, we praise God for wonders beyond our ability to fully comprehend. That increases our faith and motivates our prayers.
-We recognize that God is the FOUNDATION OF ALL THAT IS GOOD. In a sea of moral confusion and alternate concepts of truth, we express our faith and desire for God’s name to be hallowed, because when it is, truth and justice will be recognized.
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 says, “I will proclaim THE NAME of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”
When God’s name is hallowed in society, there is RESPECT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. The moral foundations of American society, and even many laws, are based on God’s righteousness and justice. When God is hallowed, society benefits.
When God’s name is hallowed in marriage, there is a foundation of dependable love. Couples are committed to work through difficulties and challenges. God’s character is reflected in forgiveness, faithfulness, and caring for others. Children have a solid foundation of love, respect, and moral values. That is why the commandment says, in Deuteronomy 5:16, "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
When God’s name is hallowed in our own lives, we make wise choices. We do what is right, and strive for a better society. We are less anxious, more aware of our blessings, and more positive about life. As Psalm 128:1-2 says, “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.”
When we pray, “Hallowed be your Name,” we recognize that God can make all of life better.
-We recognize that God is the FOUNDATION OF MEANING AND PURPOSE.
Without God, what is the point of life?
***Albert Einstein denied that life had any goal or purpose. Nevertheless, he said that life should be guided by, “satisfaction of the desires and needs of all, as far as this can be achieved, and achievement of harmony and beauty in human relationships.”**
***In Twelve Rules of Life, psychologist Jordan Peterson says that the goal of life is to alleviate unnecessary pain and suffering.”**
The Westminster Catechism of 1648 gives a different answer: “The chief and highest end [or purpose] of man is to glorify God and fully to enjoy him forever.”
When we pray, “Hallowed by your name,” we are embracing the meaning and purpose for which God created and redeemed us.
When we pray, we recognize God as the foundation of life. And…
WHEN WE PRAY, “HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME,” WE ARE COMMITTING OURSELVES TO HALLOW GOD’S NAME.
***There is a story about a young baseball player. He was a loudmouth, always running around, saying, “I sure hope we win.” But then, he wouldn’t show up for practice, he never listened to the coach, and he was a lot more interested in impressing girls than playing the game. Wishing is not doing, and praying without doing anything is merely wishful thinking.**
What can we do to hallow the name of God? I like what the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 says about it: “Hallowed be your name means, ‘Help us to really know you, to bless, worship and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth.’ And it means, ‘Help us to direct all our living—what we think, say, and do—so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us, but always honored and praised.’
The Lord’s Prayer is a commitment to WORSHIP God as holy, and to LIVE in a holy, God-honoring way.
-We WORSHIP God as holy.
Worship can seem rather insignificant. If all we are asking is, “What am I getting out of this?” we will not out see great value in worship. Worship should not be about us, however, but about hallowing the name of God! 1 Peter 3:15 says, “In your hearts revere [sanctify, hallow] Christ as Lord.”
Hallowing Jesus in our hearts means putting him first. He takes over our thoughts, our desires, and our decisions, and more than anything else, we want his name to be honored and valued.
We also worship with others, and we hallow the name of Jesus. I Corinthians 5:4 says, “When you are assembled in THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS… and the power of our Lord Jesus is present…” As we hallow the name of Jesus and God our Father together, we put God in the highest place. He is above all, and his power is present with us.
In public worship, we hallow God’s name before the world.
The early believers in Acts worshipped in the temple courts. Worship advertises to us and to the world that God is important. When we make worship a priority, it sends a message to our family, our kids, that God is important to us. It sends a message to people in the community, when worship is important enough to have a higher place on our schedule than other activities. Our priorities and our enthusiasm for worship speak loudly to others about God!
-Worship does not happen only in the church. We must LIVE holy, God-honoring lives, hallowing God’s name in the world.
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that…they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Romans 2:24 says, “GOD’S NAME is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Our actions reflect on God’s good name.
***Alexander the Great conquered most of the then-known world by the age of 33. One of the secrets to his success was the iron discipline he demanded from his troops. One day, a terrified young soldier was hauled into Alexander's tent, to answer to charges of cowardice and desertion in battle. The general was seated at a table, and the accused soldier stood before him. Alexander said, "Soldier, you've been accused of deserting during a battle - guilty or not?" "Guilty," he replied almost inaudibly. The general followed up then by asking, "What's your name, soldier?" The answer came back - "My name is Alexander, sir." It was at that point that Alexander the Great leaped to his feet, reached across the table, grabbed the soldier by the collar and shouted, "Either you change your life or you change your name!" **
If you are a CHRISTian, you bear the name of CHRIST. You represent him. We either cause people to respect and honor the name of Christ, or we cause them to disrespect and dishonor his name.
Christians bear the name of Christ, and people get their impressions of God from us!
When your name comes up in conversation, it is a reflection of God’s name. How good is your name at work or school? How good is your name in business dealings, on the athletic field, or at church?
When you spend time with people, do you reflect the goodness of God? Our God is life-giving, righteous, gracious, inspiring. What are you like?
When your family and friends talk about the impact of your life on them, do they see glory of God through you? When people look at the commitments you make in your life, do they see someone who is faithful, who serves others, who lives life with purpose?
We bear the name of Christ, and our actions reflect on his name. One of two things will said of us:
Romans 2:24 “God's name is blasphemed among [non-believers] because of you,”
or,
1 Peter 2:12 “[nonbelievers will] see your good deeds and glorify God.”
When you pray, say, “Father, hallowed be your name…”
