Hallowed be thy Name
In Hebrew culture a name was important. It revealed something about you. A name revealed some characteristic about your birth, or a hope for your future. Sometimes because of this, names were changed by God. The name stood for the whole character of that person, as it was known, manifested or revealed. Proverbs 10:7, 18:10, 22:1, 30:1-9
When we speak " hallowed be thy name", what are we saying? It actually means…may Your name be holy. Now God’s name is special, very special, and our asking God to keep his name special really doesn’t do a whole lot. So that’s not what it means. Rather we hallow God’s name by our walk with, our work for, and our worship of…God.
"Does it hallow Gods name when we murmur at His dealings with us? When we complain of our lot, of His guidance, His provision, His Providence? Does it hallow the name of our Father when we point out all the faults and failings we think we see in others of His children? What earthly father would sit and listen to us while we detailed the wrongdoing of His children? …Shall we do the Devil’s work and become "accusers of the Brethren"; and then after slandering the children who bear his name, kneel down and meekly say, "Hallowed be thy name?"
When we call ourselves Christians His name is invested in us. His name, reputation, person, character are at stake in us… Our personal lives and our language reveals who our God is. This is a re-iteration of the commandment that says "take not the name of Your Lord God in vain." We reveal God. Our lives must manifest His name. Let’s look at some names of God and see how we can manifest them.
The first two names of God are Jehovah-tsikenu and Jehovah-m’kaddesh. The first one comes from Jeremiah 23:5-6 and means "Jehovah our righteousness." The second comes from Leviticus 20:8 and it means :the Lord who sanctifies." Taken together it gives the picture of a people who have been forgiven and who forgive. A people who have been set apart from sin’s power. When you hallow God’s name you pay special attention to the forgiveness he has given us in Christ and you forgive others to that same extent. Have you hallowed God’s name with forgiveness?
The second names that demonstrate His name are Jehovah-shalom Judges (Judges 6:24) and Jehovah-shammah (Ezek 48:35). They literally mean God our peace and the Lord who is here.
The third is Jehovah-rapha which mean Jehovah heals and comes from Exodus 15:26. He is the God who heals. Jesus took our infirmities and nailed them to the cross.
The fourth name is Jehovah-Jireh the Lord my provider (Gen 22:14). The Lord provides all we need.
The fifth is Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah my banner(Ex 17:15). Moses and his hands raised. Banner means a pole, standard or miracle. A banner was a signal to Israel that their conflicts were actually God’s battles and He would deliver them. Isa 11:10. Another name is Jehovah-raah –Jehovah my shepherd from psalm 23. Jehovah the one who feeds you and cares for you, Jehovah a friend.
Heavenly father, you are Jehovah-tsidkenu, my rightousness, and Jehovah-m’kaddesh, the God who sanctifies me. I thank you that I am forgiven for sins of the past and freed from the power of sin in the present. I claim your peace, Jehovah-shalom. I acknowledge You as Jehovah-shammah, the God who is always there for me. I receive the benefit of healing provided through Your name Jehovah-rapha, for I know that by the st5ripes laid upon Jesus I am healed. I acknowledge Your provisions for my every need through the power in your name as Jehovah-jireh. You are the banner of Jehovah-nissi, which is lifted over my life, and as Jehovah-raah, You are the shepherd who will bring me safely to my eternal destiny. Because of this, I have the authority to ask you to release the anointing of personal prayer in my life, and I believe it is released right now, In Jesus Name.
How do you hallow God’s name? What aspects of these names do you need to meditate on and make a part of your life? Which names do you have the most trouble with? Effective prayer starts with a relationship with the Heavenly Father…Do you have that relationship? Do you live out God’s name? Write out each of God’s unique names and beside them write how you can hallow that name. What can you do or be that would cause God to be glorified?
