You Need His Name to be Holy in Your Life

So, this is what Jesus begins your prayer with. You first address your father, which is an unbelievable statement we talked about last week. And the first petition from Christ after he says, “By the way, the father knows what you need. You don't know what you need, but the father knows what you need. So the father knows what you need, and here's how to tap into what you need. You need his name to be holy in your life and the world around you. It's the greatest advantage to you that God is praised in your life. Pray for it.” So with boldness, we can come to the father and say, “God, change my desire so that I desire your will. Hallowed be your name in my life for your glory and my good, for your praise and my joy.” Man, that is a different way of praying. Typically we're praying, “That person annoys me; make them stop. And Jesus says, “I'm going to give you patience and I'm going to give you longsuffering, and I'm going to give you forgiveness and make you open to reason. And as you give patience, and as you give selfless love, and as you selflessly love this person, they will see your good works and they will glorify me. So, child, I'm going to change you instead of changing them.” So instead, we say, “Lord, I'm frustrated with this person; change my heart. Lord, I don't like these circumstances; change my heart. I don't like that I lost my job. Change my heart. Lord, hallowed be your name in my heart because it is not hallowed right now. And - I love this - when we fail, what does he say? He's faithful and just to forgive you of your failure to hallow his name. He says in Ephesians four, “With boldness, child, run into my presence as my child. And with the name of Christ upon you clothed in his righteousness, ask in a time of need for mercy and grace, and I will give it to you and you will be restored having forgiveness, and your faith will be renewed.” And it is at that moment, you can say father hallow, be your name in my life. Everyday Grace 009