Is My Living a Credit to Jesus' Name?

We continue our understanding of the pattern of prayer that Jesus gave us to pray and the verse for today’s meditation is

Hallowed be your name.
Matthew 6:9b

There is an old story you may know about Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king and world-conqueror in the 4th century BC. On one of his military missions, a young deserter from his army was brought before him. The king asked the young man: "What is your name?"
Timidly, the deserter replied: “My name is Alexander”
Furious at this, the king asked him again: “What is your name?”
Again came the reply: “My name is Alexander.”
To which Alexander the Great said: “Then change your conduct or change your name.”

We who call ourselves Christians wear Christ’s name - and God wants us to grow into all the characteristics of Christ - loving, strong, forgiving, wise, patient.   Our conduct should be growing to reflect God in us.

We saw yesterday that when we begin our prayer, “Our Father,” we pray it based on an intimate relationship with God – that of a father and child. God is not an angry judge looking for an opportunity to condemn us, nor is aloof and distant, too busy to hear us. He is our Father and can be approached on an intimate basis.

Having the foundational awareness of God as our Father we today move on to the first of the petitions, “hallowed be thy name.” When we pray “hallowed be thy name,” we climb to a new level of respect for God and reverence for his person. We are ascending to the very heart of God to recognize who He is and what He has done for us.

“Hallowed be Thy name.”  is the first request, after the invocation “our Father”. And if you notice the first request is on God’s behalf.  Before you ever begin to pray for you, you begin by praying on Gods behalf.  “Hallowed be Thy name.”  That’s the first petition.  Infact the second petition, “Thy kingdom come.” And the third petition, “Thy will be done” Is on God’s behalf.  It is only after these requests we ask for something for ourselves. “Give us,” “forgive us,” “lead us.”  And then you come back full circle, “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.”  So when we look at the prayer in whole it begins and ends with God’s priority.

A question that comes to my mind is whether this is a theoretical prayer or a practical prayer. How do we hallow his name? What is this prayer really saying?  What are we really asking when we say, “Hallowed be Thy name,”?  How can I know that prayer is answered?  How can God’s name really be hallowed?

The word “hallow” is the Greek word hagios which is the word for holy, “Hallow” means “to set apart as holy, to consider holy , to treat as holy.”

So, the implication is through us. His name will be hallowed in and through our life. We desire our life to reveal to others to the name of Jesus and the character or God. When we are supremely concerned that every detail of our lives should be for His glory – His name is hallowed. Whatever service you or I may undertake our first thought should be, “Is this for His glory?” This thought should be in our thoughts when we choose the books we will read or the movies we will watch. This phrase applies to the friends we make and how we treat them. It will be the chief concern in all habits we form and all the ambitions that we cherish. This will be our supreme object in every pleasure we seek. This will be our attitude concerning every sorrow and trial we face.

This Lenten Season may we realize that Jesus’ reputation is at stake in us today. May we live in such a way as to be a credit to Jesus’ personality and character. May others see Jesus through our behavior and honor His name because of what they see of Him in us.