Real Hope: Relationship With GodSample

Hallowed Be Your Name

We recently had a young man come to our church for the first time. As I greeted him, the first thing I noticed was how well he was dressed. We’re a "shoes off" kind of church, intentionally creating a relaxed vibe to help people feel at home. As we spoke, he revealed to me that growing up, his family had always chosen to dress for church as if they were going to meet the king, which, of course, is exactly the case.

At the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, "Our Father." The implications of this are profound. Because of Jesus, we can relate to God as His children. It’s a prayer of intimacy. It’s familial. It’s personal.

Yet just one line later, we pray, "Hallowed be your name." The word translated as "hallowed" can also mean holy, set apart, sanctified, or otherly. It’s a recognition that this God we pray to is extraordinary. He’s beyond our comprehension.

In just a few short words, less than one verse of the Bible, Jesus has taught us to relate to God within the complex truth of both His intimate nature and absolute holiness. He desires the deepest relationship with us, yet we must also recognise that when we commune with Him, we meet with the God of the universe.

Each week when my new friend comes into our relaxed church in his Sunday best, I’m reminded that these two things can exist together. In your life, how do you hold these together? Do you lean to one extreme or the other? What does it look like, practically, to embrace both "our Father" and "hallowed be your name"?

Written by CHRIS GRESHAM BRITT