What Does It Mean to “Hallow” God’s Name?

When we come to consider the aspect of reverence and respect which should be given to God in the church, it would seem this should be natural. The reader may well ask, “Isn’t that what the church is for, a place to worship God? Why bother even discussing it?”

We Don’t Hallow His Name Enough

The truth is that there are too many churches where His name is not hallowed. This is not written in an attitude of censure. It is merely to state the case as it exists. The concept that the sanctuary is a sacred place where men and women come to have a personal and profound encounter with the living God is rapidly passing from our modern approach to worship.

Very often the program, special music, latest social function, architecture of the building, or even the preacher’s personality are considered of far more importance than the authority and person and presence of God Himself. His name is not honored in these places. His being and power are not revered. And in some cases, the people are scarcely even aware of His character.

It is not altogether surprising, therefore, that many churches are little more than another social organization in the community. For where our heavenly Father’s name is not held high, the church loses its impact and power upon the lives of its people.

How Might We Hallow God’s Name?

The late A. W. Tozer, who wrote at great length about the life of the modern church, maintained that its greatest loss today was the loss of reverence for God Himself. It was his firm conviction that God would honor any group of believers who honored Him. Whereas, wherever He was neglected or relegated to some mere religiosity, death and decadence were bound to follow.

Like the ancient prophet Isaiah, we would do well to have our spiritual eyes opened to see God’s very presence pervading His temple. We would do well to worship reverently. And we would do well to remind ourselves always that God our Father deserves our sincere and honest respect, our deepest gratitude.

Finally, let us consider one last but perhaps most important aspect in which our Father’s name needs to be hallowed and honored within our own personal lives. It follows, does it not, that if God is our Father, as Jesus expressed it in this prayer, then we are His children? And if we are His children, then naturally we ourselves bear His name. We may call ourselves “children of God,” “Christians,” “God’s people,” or any other such title. But the point remains that we carry His name. His name is vested in us. Therefore His name, reputation, person, and character are at stake in us.

For where our heavenly Father’s name is not held high, the church loses its impact and power upon the lives of its people.

It may very well be that a cynical and materialistic society will neither look for nor even expect to see God our Father in the natural world. Many of them are too cynical or totally in-different to look for Him in the church. Yet, in a most surprising way, they will scrutinize anyone meticulously who claims to be a child of God.

The personal life and language of any person who says he is related to God comes in for close and continuous examination by an onlooking world. Not only do they expect much more of us, but, strangely enough, they almost demand perfection. This is one of those peculiar quirks in human nature so difficult to understand. Although almost anything goes for them, from God’s children, they expect angelic conduct.

In large part, I am convinced this is simply because one dares to bear the name of our Father who is in heaven. So their attitude is, “If you claim to be a child of God, live like it!” No doubt Christ Himself was acutely aware of this attitude. That is why He urged His followers to live life on such a lofty and noble plane that men “may see your good works, and glorify [honor] your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

This is a very tall order indeed, for, human nature being what it is, people will find fault with even the best of men. It is impossible to please everyone. Anyone who tries to do so ends up pleasing no one. Jesus Himself pointed this out one day. Because of His own open, warmhearted, and genial attitude to the social customs of His day, He was dubbed “a man glut-tonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners” (Matt. 11:19).

John the Baptist, on the other hand, whom Jesus declared the greatest man ever born of a woman (see Matt. 11:11), was derided as having “a devil” by his detractors because of his own abstemious habits (Matt. 11:18).

Still, this does not excuse the people of God from living life in such a way that their Father’s name shall be honored in their life and conduct. It is as if we were to pray each morning, “Father, Your reputation is at stake in me today. May I live in such a way as to do Your person great credit. Because of my behavior, may men see You in me, and so honor Your name because of it.”

Throughout the Old Testament, and especially in the Psalms and Proverbs, great emphasis is placed upon reverence and respect for God our Father.

Throughout the Old Testament, and especially in the Psalms and Proverbs, great emphasis is placed upon reverence and respect for God our Father. It is pointed out repeatedly that to honor God and to accord Him prior place in our lives is the beginning of wisdom and the basis of all blessings from above. Over and over, the idea is impressed upon God’s people that anyone who gave Him the esteem He so rightly deserved was bound to benefit to a degree beyond his wildest dreams.

Let’s Not Forget

Some of us forget this in our relationship to God our Father. Sometimes we may even be inclined to hold somewhat of a grudging attitude toward Him. We behave as though it is a bit of a burden and rather a bore to reverence and respect our heavenly Father. We are reluctant to honor Him.

Those of us who are human fathers know how very hurt we can be by such an attitude from our own children. Yet, on the other hand, when they act toward us in gratitude and appreciation, when they express their love and respect for us in consideration and affection, how our hearts are warmed! It is then our own love for them is multiplied and aroused to the point that we are willing and eager to do even more for them than ever before.

The same principle applies in our relationship to our Father in heaven. The least movement on our part, feeble as it may seem, to honor and uplift His great name produces an immediate response of love in His great heart. We find ourselves engulfed by His sublime presence through His Spirit. We discover our lives enriched by boundless blessings beyond our fondest hopes. This is just the way it is with our Father when His name is honored.