Hallowed Be Thy Name

Hallowed be thy name.

Thoughts; The old joke is that the little boy told his father after church- "Now I finally know what God's name is."  "What is it?" Said the father.  "It is Harold... Harold be thy name."

Hallowed- full of holiness- is the description of His name.  His name is not to be taken lightly, but reverently.  His name is holy because He is holy.  The word "Holy" means "separate" or "Other." He is not ordinary (or mundane).  He is not natural- but supernatural.  He is purposefully different.  It is not God's job to fit into our expectations or to conform to our behavior.  God does not take a poll to decide how He should act or what He requires of us.  He is holy- other.

The very name of God is holy because the name represents the person of God.  We take God too lightly because we have a very high opinion of ourselves and a way too low opinion of God.  We talk of God as if we are the judge.  We talk of not believing or doubting God too flippantly as if we are God, and He is just there to serve us- if He dares to exist at all.  This is such blasphemous pride. When we come face to face with God (and we all will) the mention of God's name will send shivers up our spine.  In our anxiety to not fell shame- we have tried to say God does not see or care or maybe even exist.  We are like the ostrich who is afraid so they hide their head in the sand- thinking the danger will pass if we don't look.  God is holy.  By the very meaning of that word- if God wants a relationship with us- then God cares about our being holy too.  The fact that we are not holy- that we are indeed covered with dirt and sin- should make us nervous.  

It is the name of Jesus- that we claim- that can make us holy and allow us to be holy.
The holy name of YHWH (I am who I am) is too holy to even be mentioned in the Jewish Bible.  We are not worthy of even mentioning the name.  But we can call on Yahshua- the Lord saves.  Jesus' death on the cross is a holy event that makes us unclean beings holy before Him.

Prayer: Lord, make me holy.  Let me not take my holiness for granted.