Jesus begins his model prayer with the words, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name” Matthew 6:9b. So often, we say those words and pray those words without really stopping to consider the awesome meaning behind them. In these first words of the prayer we are reminded that all prayer is first and foremost to God, for God, and about God. Prayer is always to be conducted to the glory of God.
God receives glory in a couple of ways in these first words of the prayer. First of all, he receives glory in his name. Jesus calls him “Father.” This would have been earth shattering as those first disciples heard Jesus pray this. Of course, the Jewish people had always thought of God as Father in a very general sense of the word, but to address him directly as Father was new. Remember, Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray. They too can refer to God as Father. How? “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” John 1:12. If we are his children, He is our father. Our father’s name is hallowed. It is holy, consecrated, sacred, revered. That means every time we say his name, we do so in reverence and awe – to His glory!!
Secondly, Jesus reminds us that the Father is in heaven. Now we know that he is God so he is also everywhere, but Jesus is once again emphasizing that God is not a mere human living on earth. He is other, separate, and transcendent. Jesus is not implying that God is impersonal, but the emphasis is on his total worthiness of worship and glory.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus begins this model prayer with the worship of God. It is only when we have a right view of the power, wisdom, love, and majesty of God that we can ever hope to see ourselves in a right way. I can’t speak for you, but I am ashamed of the number of times I have prayed and gone straight to whatever concern or burden I was facing. I didn’t give a passing word to the fact that God is great and he is worthy of praise and worship. When we don’t acknowledge the holiness and greatness of God, we miss the most important part of prayer. So when we pray the first words of the Lord’s Prayer, our thought should be; we serve a great and glorious God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10: 31.
In Christ,
Blain Craig
God receives glory in a couple of ways in these first words of the prayer. First of all, he receives glory in his name. Jesus calls him “Father.” This would have been earth shattering as those first disciples heard Jesus pray this. Of course, the Jewish people had always thought of God as Father in a very general sense of the word, but to address him directly as Father was new. Remember, Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray. They too can refer to God as Father. How? “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” John 1:12. If we are his children, He is our father. Our father’s name is hallowed. It is holy, consecrated, sacred, revered. That means every time we say his name, we do so in reverence and awe – to His glory!!
Secondly, Jesus reminds us that the Father is in heaven. Now we know that he is God so he is also everywhere, but Jesus is once again emphasizing that God is not a mere human living on earth. He is other, separate, and transcendent. Jesus is not implying that God is impersonal, but the emphasis is on his total worthiness of worship and glory.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus begins this model prayer with the worship of God. It is only when we have a right view of the power, wisdom, love, and majesty of God that we can ever hope to see ourselves in a right way. I can’t speak for you, but I am ashamed of the number of times I have prayed and gone straight to whatever concern or burden I was facing. I didn’t give a passing word to the fact that God is great and he is worthy of praise and worship. When we don’t acknowledge the holiness and greatness of God, we miss the most important part of prayer. So when we pray the first words of the Lord’s Prayer, our thought should be; we serve a great and glorious God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10: 31.
In Christ,
Blain Craig
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