So far in the Lord’s Prayer we have only addressed God the Father, but we have not petitioned the Lord for anything.  We may not think of it in this way, however to hallow God’s name is a petition to call for His name to be made manifest and proclaimed in us through our words and actions.  If we are to give glory to God’s name in our lives, we must first understand what the name represents.  And what does it mean to hallow His name?

              The word hallowed comes from the Latin word sanctum, which means holy or hallowed.  This Latin word can have several variations that can aid us in understanding.  The first variation comes from the word sancitum, which means firm.  The link between hallow and firm centers on the idea that heaven is unchanging as well as God.  God is firm in His being, and unchanging in His existence.  Sanctum can also flow from the opposite of what it means, which is the opposite of earth.  God is not of that which we would consider worldly.  That means for God to become present in our lives, we must reject what the world embraces.  So, from these two variations we can understand that hallowed in reference to the Divine Name points to the reality that God is firm and unchanging, as well as not of earth.  We, in seeking to make the Holy Name manifest in our lives, must seek to rise above the world into the unchanging.

              When we look at the name of the Lord, it is different than looking at our own names.  Names define who someone is.  They identify who we are.  For God, it is more than that.  God’s name not only defines who He is, but what He is.  It is why when Moses in the desert asked the Lord who shall he tell the people sent him, God replied “I am who am sent you (Exodus 3:14).”  This phrase would be YHWH in Hebrew.  Because God’s name does not just label but defines, there is power in the name of the Lord.  God’s name works wonders in creatures, and because of that, miracles are possible.  The demons fear the name, which is why in the Scriptures their encounters with Christ leave them afraid.  For those who believe in the Holy Name, it is a name of love.  A God who gave His only Son to save us.  A God who would do anything for our souls to be with Him in heaven.  A name that we seek to utter with the most respect.  This is why taking the name of the Lord in vain is such a profound sin.  We would disgrace the very name that saves us out of His love.  Finally, the holy name is ineffable.  We cannot even accurately and fully describe the Holy Name.  Even the Jewish faith forbids the name YHWH to be uttered for fear of mispronouncing such a sacred word.  The name of the Lord is so exalted that it has marvelous power, and we humbly respect it.

              The name of the Lord is a powerful name.  It is a name that freed Israel from pharaoh, guided them in the kingdom, and ultimately led to salvation in Christ.  It is a name of both love and fear.  Love of those who follow and obey, but fear in those who go astray.  Let us hallow His name by living out His commands in who we seek to be every day in our lives.