The Pattern of Prayer - Worship

We have mused over the beginning of this Model Prayer. We have seen that Father shows us to whom we pray, the word our refers with whom we pray - God's family of faith. And now the question arises, why do we pray.

And the answer is - WORSHIP. "Your name be honored as holy." Matthew 6:9c (HCSB) When we say these words, we should pause to worship God. I have heard that preaching should express, not impress. The same is with our prayers to God. We start with the concept here of "name." 

God's name is special. Jehovah or Yahweh is the name that He gave Moses in Exodus 3:13-15. We see that translated as "I AM WHO I AM." This is the name of the Self-existent One. He has always been, is now, and will always be.  The other names for God in the Scriptures denote His actions and what He does - this one denotes Who He Is. His person and attributes. This phrase shows us that we do not only know the name of God, but we reverence the name of God. Consider what Paul challenges us to do in 1 Corinthians 10:31 (HCSB) - "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory."

To hallow something means to set it apart as special, to dedicate it or consecrate it. This is especially done to set something aside for God and His Glory. We see that God's name is majestic and glorious. We should give God all the glory for all things. We rob God of glory when we magnify ourselves for what God has done. We rob God of glory when we say one thing and practice another. 

As one author has said, "God's name is glorified when God's people know His name, reverence His name, and magnify His name before an unbelieving world by trusting Him to accomplish His work in them and through them."* Consider the teaching in Acts 4:12 (HCSB) - "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.” We look forward to wearing His name in the future, so we need to glorify His name today. Let us pray "Your name be honored as holy" and really mean it.

Holy, Holy, Holy!

Reginald Heber

 

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity! 

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,

casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,

which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. 

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,

though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,

only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,

perfect in power, in love and purity. 

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,

God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

* Warren W. Wiersbe, 2010, On Earth as it is in Heaven, Baker Books.