Declaring Truth
What do you say (in prayer) about who God is? How do you describe Him?
Verse of the Day
“Hallowed be thy name.”
Luke 11:2, Matthew 6:9
“May your name be kept holy.”
Luke 11:2, Matthew 6:9
Today’s Devotional
In actual definition, the word “hallowed” means to be regarded as holy or sacred. In the practice of prayer as Jesus is teaching us, what does it mean that we are stating the obvious fact that, “Yes God, You are, in fact, holy and sacred”?
Part of the practice of faith is stating the truth that God reveals to us in His Word or when He speaks to us. We are told to meditate day and night on His Words. Sometimes, when we say the truth to ourselves enough times, we begin to believe it.
Funny story: When my daughter was little, I would take her shopping with me, to the grocery store or Target. Every single time we heard another baby or child crying, she would ask me why that baby was crying. Curiosity is natural. I am very curious by nature. But we are not privy to the knowledge of why every other child we can hear in a store is crying. So every time she would ask, I would say, “I don’t know. It’s none of our business.” This was repeated SO MANY times, that finally, when she heard another child crying she would say, “That baby is crying and it’s none of my business.” Today, she is 23 years old, and if we go to Target and hear a child cry, she will look at me and say, “That baby is crying and it’s none of my business.” (These days this statement is followed with a smile and a wink.)
You see, I said those words to her enough times that she started saying them to herself. And to me. And to anyone who she was with in a store when another child was crying. Eventually, after hearing this silly truth enough times, she was able to accept it and then finally understand it. It really is none of our business why anyone else might be upset in a store.
Perhaps Jesus knew that His Prayer would be memorized by countless of His followers. Perhaps He knew that after hearing it and saying it over and over, the truth of God’s holiness might finally click for us. Maybe He’s still trying to teach us that truth today.
Here’s what Andrew Murray has to say on this subject:
- “What name is hallowed? This new name of Father. The word holy is the central word of the Old Testament. Father is the central word of the New Testament. In this name of love, all the holiness and glory of God are revealed.”
- “Our prayer must be for God to reveal the holiness, the divine power, and the hidden glory of His name in us, in all His children, and in the world.
- “It is only when we yield ourselves to be led by Him, that the Father’s name will be hallowed in our prayers and in our lives. Let us learn this prayer: “Our Father, hallowed by Your name.””
I love the other translations of this part of Jesus’s prayer. The New Living Bible says “May your name be kept holy”, which is such a beautiful way to say this. It’s as if, in this one phrase, we can declare the holiness of God and also ask for God’s help to treat him as sacred in our own lives. Or, as Anthony Lee Ash puts it, we are humbly asking God to “Make me holy, so the holiness in my life will declare your holiness.”
There is power in declaring who God is and in describing His character. This phrase teaches us the truth of this. We are to declare to God, to ourselves, and to others the truth about God. We need to know and accept the sacred truth that our Holy God wants us to call Him Father. Jesus is teaching us the power of dwelling on and praying over the hallowed nature of God.
One final thought: Placing ourselves in a posture of praise is a wonderful way to dwell on the holiness and majesty of God. Praise is prayer. This song is one of my favorites lately, as it blends new with old. (Click the link below.) It praises Son and Father. If you decide to take the time to watch, please listen through the 4:30 minute mark. You will encounter a passionate declaration of the holiness of God
What a Beautiful Name / Agnus Dei
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How would you describe God?
If you had to use words other than “holy” or “hallowed”, how would you describe this same characteristic of God?
How can you bow before your Holy Father in prayer today?
How can you surrender more fully to God? What would that look like?
What is Jesus teaching you about prayer?