“But for the sake of my name I did what would keep [my name] from being profaned in the eyes of the nations they lived among, … bringing them out of Egypt.”

Ezekiel 20:9
For the sake of upholding His good, righteous, and holy name among pagan nations, God called His people out and set them apart. Honestly, that is still what He is doing with you and me today. If you are reading this while serving time in a prison system, you may be the very one God has called out and set apart from others, all for the sake of His name. He wouldn’t call you to be His child so that you could gloat or lord it over other inmates. He would call you simply and beautifully for the sake of His name.

Typically, it seems that the name of the Lord is low on our list of priorities. Sometimes we do try to honor Him, but all too quickly our names take center stage. “Hallowed be your name” becomes “What about me and my name?” Our idolatry of self is seen in the way we spend our time, how we talk to others, what the hidden thoughts of our hearts are, and—prominently—in the patterns of our prayer life.

Before we can pray for the name of the Lord to be hallowed in this world, it must be hallowed in our own hearts.

 



Scripture Focus

Matthew 6:9-13

Insight

Along with the Lord’s Prayer, you can pray from the Psalms, like this: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! (103:1)

Bible In A Year

  • Exodus 35-36
  • Psalm 43
  • Luke 7

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