Hallowing God's Name

A thought on prayer for all of us today: One of the great mysteries of God is he has allowed the holiness of his name on this earth to be bound up with the character and conduct of his people. We are a reflection of the character of God in the eyes of a watching world. To pray "hallowed be your name" and really mean it - not just recite the words - is to say, "All right, God, I hereby give up sin as best I can with your help. I will live each moment of my day in such a way that you'll be able to sign your name to my day."

But the truth sometimes is, that when we come to that part of our prayer we really have to confess, "Father, all too often other names dominate my day. Some other important person or a spouse or a boss, a girlfriend or a boyfriend or other gods named money or health or achievement. So once more I come to you, Father, and I repent. And so I come to you Father, and renew the cry of my heart: hallowed be your name in my every moment today."

What would happen if every follower of Jesus prayed along those lines? How would that transform your family? Your work-place? Your school? Your marriage? Your friendships? Your church?

And what if we started praying that kind of prayer for those around us? What would it look like for a growing number of people in our community and across the world for God's name to be hallowed in their lives?

This prayer that Jesus gave us in Matthew 6:9-13 is a GAME CHANGER. Begin praying today along these lines,

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And  lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (KJV)