A “day of prayer” was held each semester at the college I attended. During my Freshman year, we had to meet in groups with people who shared the same birthday. Since my birthday is in May, I ended up in a room where the meeting was led by Dr. Mark Minnick, a much loved and respected pastor and professor. That day, Dr. Minnick was reading through the Lord’s Prayer and he zeroed in on the first petition: Hallowed by Thy Name. He explained that “hallowed” means weight and honor, and he asked us to speculate how our college campus would change if God’s name were truly honored and revered. Then something really strange happened; in fact, it was so strange, that I never forgot that prayer meeting. Dr. Minnick asked several students to pray. He specifically asked them to pray that God’s name would be “hallowed’ in our lives and in our community, but for some odd reason, not one single soul did as he was told. I was dying to ask: “Did you guys not hear what he said?” The only thing I could conclude was that no one had a clue what he was talking about.
Now I pray the Lord’s Prayer each night with my children. Since we’ve gotten past “trespass” and all that entails (“Is poking in the eyes a trespass?” “Yes, it is.”), I’m anticipating the next question: “What does ‘hallowed’ mean? I have no idea what I’m going to say, but I’m sure that whatever I say will not be half as important as how I myself honor our Lord’s name in our home.
In Pathway to Freedom, Alistair Begg says this about the 3rd commandment:
It is not difficult to find evidence that points to the neglect of this parental duty. Surely one of the most alarming signs of our culture’s slide towards Gomorrah is in the blasphemous language on the lips of even small children. Once generation turns its back on God and the next generation grows up with little to no knowledge of Him all. Norman Rockwell’s painting of the family bowing their heads to give thanks for their meal is a museum piece. It serves as reminder of the days when God was clearly regarded as the source, sustainer, and end of all things. Since then, man’s view of God has declined. God is a name for whatever man thinks or feels Him to be. God is viewed as limited and proves upon inspection to be created in man’s image. Such a deity is always kind, helpful, loving, and never judgmental! The ideal personal God is devoid of any moral dimension at all. He turns a blind eye to all our failings and tolerates our strange beliefs and our bad behavior. This view of God is popular in many quarters.
It’s not difficult to argue that we live in a blasphemous culture. While touring Nashville this weekend, we encountered a group of Zombie enthusiasts. It was weird enough, but I got really prickly when a person dressed as Jesus joined the group. I was saddened, not so much at this person’s blasphemy, but that no one in town seemed bothered about it, even on the day before Easter. And if the Zombie enthusiasts are not in your town, just try the local Christian bookstore. There I found, among other things, a book entitled Lipstick Grace promising wonderful insights on finding spiritual fulfillment along with the perfect shade of lip gloss.
David Wells argues that the biggest problem in Christianity is that God rests lightly on the church. He says, “Indeed, our generation is rapidly growing deaf to the summons of the external God. He has been so internalized, so tamed by the needs of religious commerce, so submerged beneath the traffic of modern psychological need that he has almost completely disappeared” (God in the Wasteland). I think we can deduce that God rests lightly on our homes as well. Has God disappeared at your house? As home-keeper, I wonder what my responsibilities are in keeping God’s name hallowed in my home. I think about Dr. Minnick’s question: what would my home be like—how would it be different—if God’s name carried great weight in my home? Not only is honoring God’s name something to be remembered, it’s to be prayed for. When I pray “hallowed by thy name,” I really do want God’s name to be honored in my home and I want my children to grow up having a correct view of a good and transcendent God and His holy and righteous name. I need to be careful how I speak of God and be careful not to use His name in silliness and frivolously, even with children. But most importantly, I pray that God will change my heart to want to understand and know Him such a way that I will think about Him rightly and, as a result, use Him name rightly as well.
Thanks for that wonderful quote! A few days ago my unsaved friend said that Easter was just another normal day for them. (stated in a very self-satisfied manner) I felt like saying, “If Easter is just another day to you than you’re not really living!” I mean, what do you say to that? I probably should have said, “I’m sorry.” but my thoughts took over and instead I didn’t respond at all.
In another conversation with another person (who attends church, but uses God’s name in vain profusely…I don’t understand that) was saying in response to our difficult travels due to storm, “Well the airlines can’t do anything about that. It’s an act of God.” I wanted to say, “So is this beautiful weather we’re enjoying now, and so is the fact that I woke up breathing this morning and had energy to get out of bed!”
So why is God quickly acknowledged when the weather is inconvenient or destructive to our plans? If you read the fine print you’ll see that the airlines and insurance companies still believe there’s a God because it’s in their best interest to do so. Perhaps this too is an example of God being created in our own image instead of the reverse.
I´ve lived for God for over 24 years, and I´ve seen His Spirit move alot here in Bolivia where I´m a missionary for over 17 years. And I´ve known the Lord´s prayer for about 35 years. But something happened a few months ago as I was visiting a church in the States and taking part in a worship time inside a replica of the Holy of Holies. As I went inside alone, I began to think, “God, what can I pray?” And immediately the Lord´s prayer came out of my mouth but with such intensity and depth, and the part “hallowed be Thy Name” rang in my ears. A little more than two months have past, and the same words still ring in my ears. I know that God is calling for His people (Christians) to REALLY begin to hallow His Name and call upon Him, and by doing so, His Spirit will come and move upon this world bringing the only thing that can change mankind…”the spirit of conviction”…which will result in repenting. And no government will be able to put a stop to His Spirit.
Almost two months ago, God spoke a message to my heart, “Do you remember when the stores were closed on Sundays?” As I thought about that, He spoke to my heart and said, “Since society has pushed Me back and allowed their normal daily activities on Sundays, look at what has happened.” And I thought about the problems with alcohol, drugs, crime, murders (even on our school grounds), prayer has been taken out of our public schools, divorce, infidelity, abuse (mental and sexual), child-porn, and the list goes on and on. Local and state governments, as well as the federal government, has stopped “Hallowing God´s Name”, and the effects of the decisions taken have caused people to turn their backs on God slowly.
But again I say, if we who are true Chistians take a stand in prayer, then I truly believe that God will send His convicting Spirit to break down the iron doors that have been closed to “try” to keep Him out. God is not a “whimp”. He is mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. Our God Reigns!!! And Hallowed Be His Name !!!