“Hallowed be your name”

God our Papa has a name. Actually, he has several, and the Bible tells us what they are.

Today parents name their children based on the sound or popularity of the word. Parents in the ancient world endowed character and even personality through the names they gave their children. People became – quite literally – “known” by their names. “Jacob” means “trickster” in Hebrew, and the story of his life reflected this character until God changed his name and in the process transformed his life and the destiny of his family.

So it is with God. We know God by knowing his names. We do not have to guess God’s personality. The names tell the story. 

In the Lord’s Prayer “Hallowed be your name” Jesus invites us to pray specifically to given names of God. He challenges us to revere God for the details of his character. When we pray, we’re calling God by name and by his very nature.

And what are God’s names? 

– “The Lord” is the infinite eternal, self existent “I AM” (Exodus 3). 

– “The Lord will provide” cares for his own (Genesis 22:14).

– “The Lord our healing” fixes brokenness (Exodus 15:26).

– “The Lord who wins” battles against evil (Exodus 17:15). 

– “The Lord sanctifies” makes us his favorite ones (Exodus 31:13). 

– “The Lord is peace” brings order to chaos (Judges 6:24). 

– “The Lord my righteousness” is holy and makes me holy (Jeremiah 23:6).

– “The Lord is there” never leaves me alone (Exodus 48:35). 

These names define God. They tell the truth about his character. Practice praying to God on a first name basis…  

Action: Today, begin to call God by his names. Perhaps there is a particular quality of God’s nature you need to see him express in your life right now. If you need provision, provision is his name, so address him as “The Lord who provides.” If you need to know you are not alone, God is “The Lord is there.” These simple steps of faith are the ways we “hallow” or revere his name.

Questions: What does your name mean?  Is there any correlation in your personality to the name you were given?  How about God’s names?  Which is the easiest one for you to personally understand?  Which is the most difficult?