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"In this manner, therefore, pray:
'Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.'"
(Matthew 6:9)
A funny thing happened at our weekly prayer meeting last Tuesday evening. We were listening to a wonderful trio of family members singing The Lord's Prayer. It was very powerful and worshipful, but right in the middle of the song, a little four-year-old boy walked right up the stage and tried to get the attention of Lori Fair, wife of our worship pastor, Jeff. It was funny but also very sweet. The little fellow felt comfortable in going to Lori and wanted her to help him so he could continue watching Paw Patrol. My son, Leighton, ran up on stage and whisked the little fellow away. The trio did not miss a beat and kept on singing!
Our focus in this week's devotionals is the Lord's Prayer. In Luke's account of the prayer, it is preceded by one of the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray. Isn't that interesting? He did not ask Jesus to teach them to preach, or how to be a great leader, or how to be a better father; rather, he asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Of course, being a great teacher, leader, and father are all praiseworthy, but that is not what he requested. Also in Luke 11:1, we read that the disciple asked Jesus this question after Jesus had finished His prayer time. The disciples watched Jesus very closely, and they knew that the key to His effectiveness in ministry was Who He was and the intimacy He shared with the Father.
So, in response to this question, Jesus taught His disciples then and all His disciples throughout the centuries the Lord's Prayer, our model prayer. First, Jesus gives the command to pray. Then, He gives a memorable prayer that we should pray often. Jesus begins His prayer with praise. God is our Father; think on that for a moment. He created us, loves us, and sustains us. He is in heaven, transcendent, above, and greater than us. What is our reaction to recognizing His greatness? We give Him praise: "Hallowed be Your name". "Hallowed" or made holy is an aorist passive imperative in Greek. We are commanded that He be hallowed or recognized as being holy.
"This prayer is not so much a petition that God will do some great act that will show everyone who and what he is, as a prayer that he will bring people to a proper attitude toward him. It expresses an aspiration that he who is holy will be seen to be holy and treated throughout his creation as holy." (Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel According to Matthew (p. 145). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.)
Every prayer we pray should begin with praise, an acknowledgement of God for Who He is. He is holy, awesome, and abounding in love and mercy toward His creation. Will you pause even now before you go any further in your day and simply praise God?
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