WHOLLY HOLY - The Lord's Prayer - Part 3
Completamente Santo - La Oración de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo - Parte 3
by
Mary Hunt Webb
Posted Monday, November 30, 2015
Our children crave our attention. [Photographer: Joey Crowley. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
"Mama! Mama!"
I looked away from what I was doing. My young son was not hurt. Nothing was wrong so I went back to what I was doing.
A few minutes later, I heard, "Mama! Mama! Watch this!"
Again, he wasn't hurt. After that, he called to me again several times. I tried to be patient but it was tiresome for him to repeatedly call my name.
Like children, people often use God's name. However, they frequently use it in a manner that shows that they are unaware they are speaking someone's name. Imagine how irritated those same people would be if someone called their names over and over. They would become annoyed if somebody kept calling, "Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!" or "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!", but didn't actually have anything to say.
God must feel that way when people continually say, "Oh, my God!" The repeated use of that phrase in that manner indicates that He isn't actually their God because, if He were, they wouldn't treat Him that way. Sadly, that phrase has become so common that it has become abbreviated as "OMG".
The Bible warns us that we are not to use God's name in idle conversation because His name is holy. The third part of the Lord's Prayer emphasizes, "Hallowed be Thy name." (Matthew 6:9c, New King James Version) In modern language, we would say, "Holy is Your name." Psalm 29:2 advises, "Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." (New King James Version) In other words, His name is to be used in worship rather than in meaningless ways.
Psalm 34:3 says, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together." (New King James Version) When we use His name as a common exclamation, we are not lifting His name in praise. Rather, we are dragging it down through common everyday usage.
The Bible is even more specific when it warns, in Psalm 74:18, "Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name." (New King James Version) That verse tells us that those that abuse His name are demonstrating their own foolishness because "to blaspheme" means "to speak disrespectfully". However, God doesn't want us to act foolishly because He loves us.
In Psalm 91:14, God promises, "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name." (New King James Version) When we recognize and respect His name, we demonstrate our love for Him. In doing so, we reap a reward.
"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name." [Photographer: Jack Moreh. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
BIBLE VERSES FOR THIS POSTING
Matthew 6:9 — After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (King James Version)
Mateo 6:9 — Vosotros, pues, oraréis así: Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos, santificado sea tu nombre. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Psalm 29:2 — Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (New King James Version)
Salmos 29:2 — Dad a Jehová la gloria debida a su nombre; Adorad a Jehová en la hermosura de la santidad. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Psalm 34:3 — Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. (New King James Version)
Salmos 34:3 — Engrandeced a Jehová conmigo, Y exaltemos a una su nombre. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Psalm 74:18 — Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name. (New King James Version)
Salmos 74:18 — Acuérdate de esto: que el enemigo ha afrentado a Jehová, Y pueblo insensato ha blasfemado tu nombre. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Psalm 91:14 — "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name." (New King James Version)
Salmos 91:14 — Por cuanto en mí ha puesto su amor, yo también lo libraré; Le pondré en alto, por cuanto ha conocido mi nombre. (Reina-Valera 1960)
"Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness." [Image courtesy of freejesuschristwallpaper.com, a former website no longer available.]
