LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 6:9 “… Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,”   Jesus

 

Marin Lloyd-Jones makes a statement in his book, The Study of the Sermon on the Mount, “Only true Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can say “Our Father”.  God gives us that right (authority) as we receive Him.”  Believers realize what God has done for them through Jesus Christ.  Jesus began His prayers by addressing God as Father and that is how we are to pray; we are to realize that as a child of God, He is “Our Father”.  Then Jesus adds “in heaven”.

 

The Old Testament writer’s concept of God was much different from ours today.  When writing the word for God, YAHWEH, they would throw away the pen used to write His name.  There was such a reverence for His name that the pen would never be used again.  Reverence and awe would describe Old Testament men and women who worshipped God.  Whenever the word “father” is used in the Old Testament is refers to God as the father of the nation of Israel.

 

The New Testament writers wrote with the understanding that “father” was no longer an identity for Israel but was now individual and personal; it defined those who had given their life to Jesus and now were included in the family of God.  Jesus uses the description “Father” seventeen times in the Sermon on the Mount.

 

Jesus is reminding all who say this prayer that our Father is in heaven.  Acts 7:49 is taken from Isaiah 66:1, “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool…”  It is a reminder that our Father in heaven is a God of majesty and might who is worthy of our worship.  He sits on His throne of majesty!  If you think of all the pomp and circumstances given to the leaders of the world (at least used to be) and then multiply it thousands of times, the glory given God in heaven has not been explained. Christians today have lost this reverence for God.  I cringe (because I have done this) when I hear my Father in heaven referred to as “the Man Upstairs” or “the Big Guy in the Sky’.  We must get back to reflecting the true majesty and greatness of God! 

 

“Hallowed be Your name” means to sanctify, or revere, or to make and to keep holy.  It means to do all possible to honor God by the way you live and talk.  Let’s be honest.  How often do you hear someone use God’s name in a flippant way or in a curse (I am getting pretty good at telling people that God’s last name is not damn!)?  if you casually use the name of God in your everyday speech, stop!  His name is to be spoken reverently; it is hollowed!  It is time that Christians begin to aim for higher standards, God’s standards, in all we do. 

 

We have become complacent in our pursuit of holiness.  1 Peter 1:15 tells us, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in your conduct,”.  We are to pursue to be holy every day.  That is what Jesus is teaching us to do when we begin to pray.  By praying “hallowed be Your name” we are coming into His presence with an attitude of worship and praise, giving Him the honor He is due.  That is hallowing His name!

 

 

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