Hallowed Be Thy Name—It’s Not Hollow
Sometimes we just miss the point. We trip up now and again. After all, we are mere mortals and that’s why he came. Fact is, “We all fall short” (Rom. 3:23).
Falling short is one thing but tripping over the very words spoken which were meant to be life-giving can land hollow if not corrected accordingly. Misunderstandings are possible as we hear children repeat the beat of conversations only to get it so wrong that we can’t help but laugh.
Once upon a time, a child looked upon a large chocolate Easter bunny wrapped in clear packaging. As they turned it over to look more closely, they were ecstatic! “TWO Easter bunnies,” they screamed with delight as they noted the front and back as two separate items! The younger sibling responded directly, “It’s the same bunny! There’s only one!”
Not to be detoured from enjoying what was before them, off the first child ran to open the package, delighting in every morsel. Whether there was one bunny or two, the eater of enjoyed the chocolate which was the main point of the whole thing anyway.
As we are children of the Heavenly Father, I’m sure we will be offered plenty of excuses as to why we did or did not quite understand the words in his Word which we were given. At times they may look skewed as we interpret that which is before us—or misinterpret. However, tis a gift to be simple and when we express our faith in child-like manner, I believe he rather enjoys it. Keeping it simple doesn’t mean the deep isn’t at work within, it simply means we trust what he taught. It’s that simple.
What did he teach? He taught us to pray. His teaching was clear. He said, “Pray like this.” Yup—that’s what was spoken: “Pray like this.” He then spoke, and into being came the prayer we know. “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.” There’s more where that came from but let’s stop there for today. Why? Because I like playing with words and the depth of his bring to life that which he spoke. This prayer is not hollow, nor is it shallow, nor is it an empty way. No. He said his name is hallowed. In other words, it is glorified, sacred, holy, mystical, calling out to each, gifted it is to say this name above all names.
Hallowed is his name as we pray his name in full—full of grace and truth. Much like the words spoken in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and he lived among us, and we saw his glory, glory like that of an only begotten son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” He continues in John 1:17 reinforcing the same thoughts: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
He not only says his name is hallowed, but that it is the name above all others. Phil. 2:9-11: “God gave him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.” Nothing, no thing, not a thing hollow about that. Amen.
Kathleen Kjolhaug, Theology in the Trenches
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash.
