The Name
"...hallowed by your name..." (Matthew 6:9b)
In our china cabinet, we have many precious possessions. Behind a closed glass door, I keep a collection of chalices I have been given and others I have purchased around the world. There is a graduation booklet from one of my grandfather's classes. We have a box from some Turkish Delight that was sent to me when I was preaching a series of sermons on Narnia (Narnia fans will understand). And in the bottom part of that cabinet is my grandmother's china.
We rarely use the plates, cups and bowls that are part of that set. I suppose I inherited them because I'm the oldest. Mostly they sit there and collect what dust gets through the doors. Only on very special occasions do we pull out that china, those precious relics from a past age, and use the china for a meal. All of the things in the china cabinet are special, unique, gazed upon but rarely taken out.
Sometimes that's what we think of when we talk about "hallowing" God's name. We may remember that some preacher said somewhere that to "hallow" something is to set it apart, to consider it special, unique, precious. So the temptation is to treat God's name like we treat grandma's china: we only bring it out at special occasions. We don't even pay much attention to it until we really need it, or until we really want to impress someone. Certainly in Jesus' day, the Jews treated God's name that way. Though God had revealed his name as "Yahweh" (I Am) to Moses long ago, they would not pronounce it for fear of "misusing" the Name.
In reality, to know someone's name puts us in relationship with them. Not so much anymore, but there used to be a time when you only called someone by first name if you really, really were close to them. Other than that, it was "Mr." or "Mrs." or "Rev." or "Dr." or whatever their title was. (To this day, I still can't call the teachers I had in school by their first names!) Knowing the name means you have arrived at a level of intimacy with that other person.
"Hallowing" God's name means we don't use the name lightly, but we shouldn't be afraid to call on God, either. It means we have established a relationship with the God who made it all, the Lord of the entire world, the hope of the world. God wants us to know him; that's why he gave us his Name! So we treat God's name with respect because of who God is, but we are not afraid to call on God or to call God by name. He is, after all, the great I Am, the one who is always with us, who longs to hear from his children, who will be here when everything else is gone. His name is Yahweh, "I Am," the one and only. Even his name reminds us who he is! And saying the Name reminds us he calls us into relationship. He wants us to know him and to live in a way that honors him.
God's Name is not like grandma's china, but it is precious. God's Name is not something we save for a special day, but it is a Name we treat with respect and honor. Most of all, knowing God's Name invites us into relationship. Is that a relationship you have moved into and accepted? He's waiting for you.
In our china cabinet, we have many precious possessions. Behind a closed glass door, I keep a collection of chalices I have been given and others I have purchased around the world. There is a graduation booklet from one of my grandfather's classes. We have a box from some Turkish Delight that was sent to me when I was preaching a series of sermons on Narnia (Narnia fans will understand). And in the bottom part of that cabinet is my grandmother's china.
We rarely use the plates, cups and bowls that are part of that set. I suppose I inherited them because I'm the oldest. Mostly they sit there and collect what dust gets through the doors. Only on very special occasions do we pull out that china, those precious relics from a past age, and use the china for a meal. All of the things in the china cabinet are special, unique, gazed upon but rarely taken out.
Sometimes that's what we think of when we talk about "hallowing" God's name. We may remember that some preacher said somewhere that to "hallow" something is to set it apart, to consider it special, unique, precious. So the temptation is to treat God's name like we treat grandma's china: we only bring it out at special occasions. We don't even pay much attention to it until we really need it, or until we really want to impress someone. Certainly in Jesus' day, the Jews treated God's name that way. Though God had revealed his name as "Yahweh" (I Am) to Moses long ago, they would not pronounce it for fear of "misusing" the Name.
In reality, to know someone's name puts us in relationship with them. Not so much anymore, but there used to be a time when you only called someone by first name if you really, really were close to them. Other than that, it was "Mr." or "Mrs." or "Rev." or "Dr." or whatever their title was. (To this day, I still can't call the teachers I had in school by their first names!) Knowing the name means you have arrived at a level of intimacy with that other person.
"Hallowing" God's name means we don't use the name lightly, but we shouldn't be afraid to call on God, either. It means we have established a relationship with the God who made it all, the Lord of the entire world, the hope of the world. God wants us to know him; that's why he gave us his Name! So we treat God's name with respect because of who God is, but we are not afraid to call on God or to call God by name. He is, after all, the great I Am, the one who is always with us, who longs to hear from his children, who will be here when everything else is gone. His name is Yahweh, "I Am," the one and only. Even his name reminds us who he is! And saying the Name reminds us he calls us into relationship. He wants us to know him and to live in a way that honors him.
God's Name is not like grandma's china, but it is precious. God's Name is not something we save for a special day, but it is a Name we treat with respect and honor. Most of all, knowing God's Name invites us into relationship. Is that a relationship you have moved into and accepted? He's waiting for you.
Great post! It’s so sad that God’s name is said ALL the time now, but it’s not with honor. It’s callously just thrown out there.
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