WEEK 12 – DAY 2

March 23, 2021

HALLOWED BE THY NAME

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, HallowedG37 be thy name. Matthew 6:9

G37 ἁγιάζω hagiázō, hag-ee-ad’-zo; from G40; to make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:—hallow, be holy, sanctify. (Strong’s)

VEN’ERATE, verb transitive [Latin veneror.]  – To regard with respect and reverence; to reverence; to revere. We venerate parents and elders; we venerate men consecrated to sacred offices. We venerate old age or gray hairs. We venerate or ought to venerate the gospel and its precepts. The American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.

When we pray “Our Father,” we are recognizing God’s authority over us, His children. The Lord identifies Himself as our parent because the Bible says we have been adopted into His family allowing us to cry out to Him as Abba, Father. This is a position He has chosen, not only as our Creator but because Jesus redeemed us to be God’s own people, His children, His precious jewels. We pray to Him as “in Heaven” because that is where His seat of authority, His throne is. However, we know that through the Holy Spirit, the Lord is with us and even within us. He is ever-present and omni-present—always with us and everywhere at once. Difficult to comprehend, but He gives us understanding and fills us with His Spirit: Ephesians 3:17-19, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” God’s name is to be hallowed. He is the supreme Parent. He holds the highest sacred office as King of kings. He has always existed and is literally “older than dirt” since He created dirt. God is the author of the gospel and its precepts. We should reverence, respect, and venerate Father God above all others.

Our Father in Heaven and Emmanuel, God with us, we worship You and praise You and proclaim Your name to be above all other names.