Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Matthew 6:9 ESV
Most of us Christians make this request fairly often, some of us every day. But what do we mean? What are we asking for?
First of all, we are asking that something will take place in regard to Yahweh’s nature and reputation. That is the meaning of “name” in this setting. We are asking that his nature and reputation will be perceived in the world to have a certain character and quality. What nature and quality? Holy. What is that? In the Biblical context, it is to be absolutely other than anything else in the universe. There is NONE like him. He is absolutely one of a kind. There is none like him in his existence, and that means there is none like him in his character. It means that He is the One who is high and lifted up as Isaiah saw Him. It means He is the One alone who sits on that sapphire throne as Ezekiel saw Him. It means He is not little and common and ordinary and useful. He is the holy One.
So what are we asking? We are asking, “Oh, Yahweh, Great I Am, let the world see you as you really are. Let them know you in all your holy otherness. Let whatever happens this day, or this week, or this month, cause people to say that you alone are God.”
So, what do people say of the God you serve? What do they think of the Yahweh for whom you live? Do they see a God who can deliver from doubt, and fear, and temper, and impatience, and pettiness, and inordinate desire? If so, they are seeing a God who is holy. If not, what then?
Called To Be Transformed 