Often when I come to God in prayer, I end up speaking to God about who I am, how I’m feeling or what I want…at least that is how I often too easily begin. But this second line of the Lord’s Prayer rearranges my priorities. It immediately takes my eyes off myself and brings my focus back to God.
To hallow means to make holy or to set apart. So, in saying ‘hallowed be thy name’ we are acknowledging that God is God! That He is totally and utterly holy – far higher and greater than anything we can fathom or imagine. He is set apart from the things of this world. He is infinitely greater than any other power or authority known to man.
So, as we begin our pray in this way and use this line as a model for our own prayer what we are saying is:
May your name be glorified and honoured – it removes our focus from ourselves and our needs and reminds us who we are praying to. It acknowledges that we are talking to the awesome, powerful, creator God. It also reminds us that our greatest purpose here on earth is to bring glory and honour to God - not ourselves - through our lives. We are God’s ambassadors here on earth, and our purpose is to display Him to the world.
May your name be high and lifted up (Isaiah 57:15)— It helps us to acknowledge that we so often become inward looking and focused on ourselves when in fact we need to lift high the name of Jesus in our heart and mind and soul. Recognising we are talking to the Holy God focuses our eyes back on Him.
May your name be treasured and loved and cherished above all else – in remembering who we are talking to it also helps us to bring context to our situation and reorder the priorities within our lives. So often mole hills can seem like mountains because we have lost perspective. Reminding ourselves who God is can help to once again throw off the things of this world that so easily take our attention.
May my life bring glory to your name – it's a focus that should be over our whole lives, in our words, our relationships, our work, our everything. Through acknowledging God as the holy, set apart God who loves us enough to send His one and only Son to die for us, it reignites our desire to live set apart lives for Him through the strength He gives us by His Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:9 teaches us that as we live set apart lives here on earth we point and shine a light towards God who we are seeking to become more like. God desires humans to be partners with Him in not only making His name holy but the whole of His creation.
Prayer for today
Loving and gracious heavenly Father,
We thank you that as the awesome, powerful creator God you stepped down into this world and took on flesh to win us back. Thank you that you have given us the faith to believe and trust in you.
We pray today that, through the power of your Holy Spirit, you will help us to live set apart lives for your glory and honour. In everything we do may we shine the light of Christ into this world. We thank you that you desire to use us and have prepared good works for us to do. May we be diligent servants in all we do.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray,
Amen
Song for today - You can listen and sing along here.
We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He
And together we sing
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory
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