Keeping His Name Holy – Introduction
Keeping His Name Holy – Introduction.
“Our Father in heaven, may your Name be kept holy…” (Matthew 6:9).
In Scripture, names are significant. Names contain the personal characteristics of that person. They signify the important aspects of that person, the personality, the abilities. Jesus is praying here that the magnificent Name of God be kept holy in the minds of the people. May His Name be honored and sanctified, for in honoring His Name, we are honoring who He is. May the Name of the Lord be set apart into a whole different category from other names. May His Name be sacred and hallowed and kept worthy of one-of-a-kind respect and adoration. May His Name be lifted up and held high above all the rest. God’s Name is the accumulation of His greatness, His attributes, His character. Jesus is yearning in His prayer that God’s Name be adored in the holiness that God deserves. God’s Name is the key to this glorification. God’s Name opens the door to His Personhood and to His divine nature.
That is why it so helpful to learn the biblical Names of God. We grow in our understanding of God if we study all these somewhat obscure Hebrew words for God. The truth is that every Name of God highlights an aspect of God’s character and personality. Every Name is an attribute of the God we worship. When we get to know God’s Name, we are getting to know God on a more personal level.
We keep God’s Name holy when we reflect His character through our words and deeds. God’s Name is seen as sacred when we praise, adore and worship Him in our lives. In fact, “a synonym for worship in the Scripture is the expression ‘call upon the Name of the Lord.'” (Dr. Robert Webber). And in the Bible, praise is seen as the “fruit of lips that confess His Name.” (Heb.13:15). When we confess His Name, we in effect are running into a sanctuary, a refuge. His Name is our safe-house in which we can dwell in security and protection. “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).
In the following articles that are contained in the blog category “Holiness,” we will discuss different Names for God in the Hebrew Bible. But we will not be passively studying these Names in some academic exercise. We will not merely learn about God. Each article will have a prayer that focuses on the attributes of God expressed in the Name. We will be actively participating in confessing God’s Names through our personal prayers. The aim is that we will not simply be growing in knowledge but also in our experience with the God of gods. His Names will be the access points to the reality of God’s presence in the world and our lives. We will not only be talking about God, we will be talking to God.
“Immortal, invisible, God only wise; In light inaccessible hid from our eyes.
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.”
(hymn text, Walter Smith, 1867).