Question 88 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism speaks of the ordinary means of grace,
which are the Word, the sacraments, and prayer. In Acts 2 we see the early church expressing
abundant confidence in these gifts of God for their protection and for the building of the church.
Today our churches still practice these ordinary means of grace even if the leaders are not
consciously aware that preaching, observing the sacraments, and praying are the centerpiece of
God’s work among His people. So what is lacking in many churches is not necessarily the
practice of God’s ordinary means of building His church, but rather we are lacking confidence in
the power of the word, the table, and saints bowed in prayer.
As often as we are exhorted to pray with confidence (Phil. 4:6-7), we should be a people fully
convinced that God works through the prayers of His people. Since He has taught us how to
pray we should also be thoroughly convinced to do it by the book. This brings us to the first
petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be thy name.”
The Shorter Catechism explains:
Q. 101. What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name, we pray that God would enable
us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he makes himself known; and that he
would dispose all things to his own glory.
Hallowed is an old word for sanctify, or set apart as holy. Rightly understood, when we revere
God’s name as holy we are seeking to live for His glory. Though we can never add to the glory
of God, we can put it on display for all to see. We can magnify His glory through our lives.
Thomas Watson writes about the value of this petition,
“When some of the other petitions shall be useless and out of date, as we shall not need
to pray in heaven, “Give us our daily bread,” because there shall be no hunger; nor,
“Forgive us our trespasses,” because there shall be no sin; nor, “Lead us not into
temptation,” because the old serpent is not there to tempt: yet the hallowing of God’s
name will be of great use and request in heaven; we shall be ever singing hallelujahs,
which is nothing else but the hallowing of God’s name. Every Person in the blessed
Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, must have this honor, to be hallowed; their
glory being equal, and their majesty co-eternal. “Hallowed be your name.” To admire
God’s name is not enough; we may admire a conqueror; but when we say, “Hallowed be
your name,” we set God’s name above every name, and not only admire him—but adore
him; and this is proper to the Deity only.”
May we pray and live Hallowed be thy name – for His glory and for our good.