Hallowing God’s name is our first and primary duty in life.
“Glorify me in your prayers,” the Lord says, “and glorify me in all that you do” (see 1 Cor 10:31). This is the holy purpose which Jesus teaches in the first petition of the Lord’s prayer, “Hallowed be your name.” We ought to pray in a spirit that yearns to sanctify and glorify the Father: “In this day, in this world, and in all my life, may your perfect beauty and unfailing goodness and steadfast grace be evident!”
And why? Sometimes we’re so moved by beauty or excellence that we just have to express it aloud or share it with someone:
Take a look at this picture!
What an amazing performance!
You need to read this book!
God’s glory invites the same reaction from us in worship and prayer, for He is excellent in his majesty and surpassing greatness. Jeremiah tells us that humble reverence is required by God’s grandeur: “No one is like you, LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. Who should not fear you, King of the nations? This is your due” (Jer 10:6-7).
Reflecting on the shortcomings of my own prayers, I wonder if other believers struggle to celebrate God’s exalted character when they approach him.
Do we pause and ponder the splendour and goodness of the God on whose name we are calling?
Or do we keep the praise brief and immediately start uploading our list of concerns, wishes, and troubles?
Do we remember to hallow his name?
We should, for God is so eminently worthy of worship and adoration! As the twenty-four elders cry out to him in Revelation 4:11, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” He is deserving of all the praise we can bring him, and so much more.
Adoration is a fitting response to God and a fitting reminder for us. It is a vigorous boost to our confidence to know that we are approaching such a glorious God: “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom” (Ps 145:3).
Sincerely voicing prayerful words of praise to God can change our outlook, for praise makes us more conscious of his illustrious splendour. It encourages us to know that this great God is near and attentive. Reverential worship draws our vision away from ourselves and our daily cares, and it reminds us that we’ve come into the presence of the almighty God.
Our concerns might be ordinary and down-to-earth, but worship-filled prayer elevates us into the throne room of heaven. What do I have to worry about? Why am I troubled? In Christ the Lord is my God, and there is none like him!