Hallowed means holy, sanctified, consecrated.
In real life language, hallowed/holy means to be perfect and set aside.
Kind of like those plates your mum used to ‘set aside’ for when the Queen came to visit.
Interestingly, Jesus didn’t just say, ‘God, You are Holy’.
Of course, that is true …..
But He wanted us to know that ‘His Name’ is Holy.
He wanted us to declare it and remind ourselves that His name is hallowed, each time we pray the ‘Our Father‘.
His name is His identity, authority and power.
Many of us have names that simply our parents liked the sound of and the meaning was something they were not concerned about.
Not so with God.
He is creator.
He is judge.
He is healer.
He is love.
He is hope.
He is truth
and the list can go on.
The names of Jesus, were very carefully decided and declared too throughout the scriptures, Old and New Testaments (He is of course God).
He will be called wonderful counselor (John 14:16 – the Holy Spirit and Jesus), Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace – Isaiah 9:6 .
The virgin will give birth to a son and they will call him ‘Emmanuel’ (Isaiah 7:14) – God with us.
You shall name Him Jesus, because He will save His people. Jesus means God is salvation (Luke 1:31).
And more generically, we know that God gave Him the name that is above all names (Philippians 2:9).
When Moses asked, who shall I say sent me ….. the burning bush (God talking through that manifestation) said ‘I am’ – Exodus 3:14.
Grammatically that was so bad, but it is the only way to put it.
In the storm, God is Rescuer.
In poverty, God is Provider.
In need, God is our Help.
God is the great I am.
In fact, Jesus called himself that too.
He said, “Before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58).
Again, that’s terrible grammar, but it was a direct reference to Moses talking to the burning bush (God).
It was Jesus claiming to be God. They tried to kill Him on the spot, because of this.
It was Jesus, declaring that He is able, and has authority to heal, to save, to cleanse and so much more.
I love it, that when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, they said, which one of you is Jesus and He simply said ‘I am’ and they all fell to the ground (John 18:6)!
His name is Holy.
His power is beyond our comprehension.
His identity/authority is unlimited.
When you pray, know that you are praying to the unlimited, powerful God … perfect in everyway, with all authority.
