“hallowed be your name,” (Matthew 6:9b NIV)
In my last blog, I shared a little of my journey with you of discovering God as my heavenly Father. That awareness has been life-changing for me. When I pray the first petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father in heaven,” I now understand what it means in a personal way.
I was taught the Lord’s Prayer at a young age, but I didn’t always grasp the real meaning of the prayer’s first petition. When I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I now realize that I am speaking directly to my heavenly Father. Knowing my identity as His child is an important aspect of my spiritual healing, which is part of my journey toward wholeness.
The reality of life is that people have different experiences with their human fathers, some good, but some not so positive. That made me want to learn more about God as my heavenly Father.
What kind of Father is He?
In answer to that question, I’d like to tell you some of the things that I discovered as I prayerfully studied Scripture and Biblical Resources about the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “hallowed be your name.”
God has many names, and each one tells us something about Him. Through His names we know that God is our source of peace, our provider, our protector, our healer, strong and mighty, and so much more. A good resource that I’ve discovered for more detail about God’s names is www.blueletterbible.org.
He is the only One who is all-powerful, He knows everything about everything, and He is able to be everywhere at the same time.
As I get to know Him and His nature more, I am better able to trust Him to be my source of safety and strength. Psalm 9:9-10 (NIV) says, “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
What does that mean for me personally?
The closer I get to Him, the more I am able to see my own sins and frailties, and that causes me to realize my great need for Him. The relationship between God and all humanity is broken because of our sinful condition, but there is a solution which can give us eternal life. I need to ask His forgiveness, accept that it is freely given to me because of Jesus Christ’s atonement for my sins, and change my ways. Repentance makes all things new. It gives us a fresh start with the Lord.
We can know with confidence that once we’ve repented, we are free to begin our track toward freedom from our spiritual baggage of the past. God is a holy God. He and His name are to be respected and revered. When we follow His instructions (not just the 10 Commandments), we actively show Him that we do love, respect and revere Him, thus, we acknowledge His holiness.
What’s next…How can I possibly approach such a holy God?
“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:17 NIV)
Children haven’t likely become sceptical about things, like us adults have. In their innocence, they are more able to take things at face value, including the gospel’s message. They are more trusting than adults. While we can’t maintain our youth forever, we can maintain an attitude of simple trust in God. Faith comes easier to a child than it does to those of us more mature in years.
My prayer is, “Lord, thank You for loving me just as I am. I know that I have faults, and have made mistakes, but I ask you to forgive me and show me how to change. Your ways are not always the same as the world’s ways. Please help me to know You better, and to glorify Your holy name more as time passes. I want to receive You and Your kingdom as a child, but I need Your help. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
