Exodus20:7
(The Voice) You are not to use My name for your own idle
purposes, for the Eternal will
punish anyone who treats His name as anything less than sacred.
Matthew6:9 (NCV)
Pray like this: Our Father in
heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Most of us grew up praying this version:
Matthew6:9 (KJV)
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
I wrote
this note to remember that God’s name is holy. It is set apart. It is other – it
is sacred. The Holy Scriptures both in
the Old Testament and in the New Testament require that we keep God’s name
holy. It’s not an option. It’s both a commandant from God and a prayer taught
to us by Jesus Christ.
The
prayer Jesus taught requires that God’s name be kept holy – that it be hallowed.
So that when you pray, you are giving his name the sacred status it requires. The first thing you need to think about when
you pray is: THE NAME OF GOD IS HOLY.
When
you give God’s name its holy place, the rest of your prayer falls in place
because you acknowledge that you can’t fathom the nature of God because He is
holy. But because He is holy, he is God! Just giving God’s name reverential
treatment elevates our prayer experience. Have you been aware of this? Probably not.
Many simply repeat the prayer, I know I have.
Society
takes our Lord’s name in vain in so many profane ways. People curse using His
name: words roll off tongues effortlessly. You hit your finger and the first
word that rolls off your tongue…well. Reconsider your words.
Stop
and think of the ways you might be desecrating and disrespecting God’s name
without even thinking about it. Remember that God’s name is only to be used
with utmost respect. He is not your pal
or your bro. He is God Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth.
Don’t relegate his name to human familiarity.
Whenever
you think or say God’s name make sure that you do it in a reverential way – with
respect. In a way that honors Him.
God’s
name is not to be taken lightly. Read
Exodus 20:7 again.
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