May
11, 2005
Hallowed
Be Your Name
"Hallowed
be Your name." (1)
"To
HALLOW the name of the Lord requires that the words in which
we speak of the Supreme Being be uttered with reverence. 'Holy
and reverend is His name.' (2) We are never in any manner
to treat lightly the titles or appellations of the Deity.
In prayer we enter the audience chamber of the Most High;
and we should come before Him with holy awe. The angels veil
their faces in His presence. The cherubim and the bright and
holy seraphim approach His throne with solemn reverence. How
much more should we, finite, sinful beings, come in a reverent
manner before the Lord, our Maker!
"But
to hallow the name of the Lord means much more than this.
We may, like the Jews in Christ's day, manifest the greatest
outward reverence for God, and yet profane His name continually.
'The name of the Lord' is 'merciful and gracious, long-suffering,
and abundant in goodness and truth,... forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin.' (3) Of the church of Christ it
is written, 'This is the name wherewith she shall be called,
The Lord our Righteousness.' (4) This name is put upon every
follower of Christ. It is the heritage of the child of God.
The family are called after the Father. The prophet Jeremiah,
in the time of Israel's sore distress and tribulation, prayed,
'We are called by Thy name; leave us not.' (5)
"This
name is hallowed by the angels of heaven, by the inhabitants
of unfallen worlds. When you pray, 'Hallowed be thy name,'
you ask that it may be hallowed in this world, hallowed in
you. God has acknowledged you before men and angels as His
child; pray that you may do no dishonor to 'that noble name
by which you are called.' (6) God sends you into the world
as His representative. In every act of life you are to make
manifest the name of God. This petition calls upon you to
possess His character. You cannot hallow His name, you cannot
represent Him to the world, unless in life and character you
represent the very life and character of God. This you can
do only through the acceptance of the grace and righteousness
of Christ." (7)
1. Matthew
6:9.
2. Psalm 111:9.
3. Exodus 34:5-7.
4. Jeremiah 33:16.
5. Jeremiah 14:9.
6. James 2:7.
7. Thoughts From The Mount Of Blessing, pp., 106, 107.
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