Teach Us To Pray Week 3: Hallowed Be Your Name

⁵ “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
⁷ “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
⁹ Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread,
¹² and forgive us our debts,
  as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Matthew 6:5-13

This week we are looking at the second line of the Lord’s Prayer: “hallowed by your name.” Throughout the Bible, and even today, we know that names are important because they hold meaning. To “hallow” the Lord’s name means to hold it sacred, to give it honor, and to recognize that it cannot be boxed. It also reveals to us the reverence, purity, and power that is the name of God. Thus, when we pray, we should know to whom we are praying to: the all-mighty, all-pwoerful, and all-loving God.

When we come to understand to whom we are praying, and interesting thing happens. Our hearts desires start to align with who God is because our struggles are being reordered to fall beneath the Great Name of God. Pastor Yami revealed to us that “the name of our struggles are not even comparable to the Name of God” so we can come to God with the full confidence in His power to bring about change. We are no longer slaves to our struggles because they are no match for our God.

1. What are the names of the things troubling you right now?
2. Where do you need to start recognizing who God is?

Catch up on earlier Teach Us to Pray sermons: Week 1, Week 2