NAME

Name

Spelled Pronunciation [neym]
noun, verb, named,
–noun
1. a word or a combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known.
2. mere designation, as distinguished from fact: He was a king in name only.
3. an appellation, title, or epithet, applied descriptively, in honor, abuse, etc.
4. a reputation of a particular kind given by common opinion: to protect one's good name.
5. a body of persons grouped under one name, as a family or clan.

Shakespeare says that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and that is absolutely true. On the other hand, there is such a wide variety of roses. Each one has a unique scent unto itself. Some smell sugary sweet. Others have a spicy scent. Still others give off an air of innocence and mildness. And at the same time all of the roses are virtually the same. Their genus provides that they grow on canes, that they have thorns, that they produce exquisite flora. The rose has long been a symbol for love and friendship and sympathy and many other emotions.
The rose is comparable to the Name of God. He is Creator. He is Wonderful Councilor, Great Protector, Yahweh, and Adonai. He is the Great I Am. He is Jesus, Emmanuel, Savior, Christ, King of Kings, and Merciful Lord. He is Wisdom, and the Word. He is The Still Small Voice. There are countless other names by which we know our God. All of these names tend to our souls in a different manner. When we are lost, we speak to the Shepherd who guides our way. When we are lamenting our sinful natures, the Savior gives us hope. He is the same God, the one God, and the mighty God. But he has many faces for us, His people. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Similarly, our God by any other name, is as awesome.

Thy
thy
–pronoun
the possessive case of thou (used as an attributive adjective before a noun beginning with a consonant sound): thy table.
Three times during this prayer, Jesus uses the word thy. It is of course interchangeable with the word “your” in our current vernacular. He says, “Hallowed be thy name.” And “Thy kingdom come.” And “Thy will be done.”
There is nothing special about the word except in using it we give over our own wills to God. Did I say nothing special? That is an incredibly difficult thing to do for me and for many others. Give over our own power to another. How many of us can do this with ease? Could you give yourself over to your boss? How about your spouse? Let it all go into the hands of a friend? It’s really not so easy.
There’s a common saying in my house, “Don’t tell me what to do!” Have you heard that at your house? Maybe not in those exact words, but I am willing to wager that you have heard it. How many times then, do you think God has heard this same statement? He heard it from Jonah, and Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale. He heard it from Elijah and Elijah ended up tasting a burning coal. He heard it from all of the Israelite people in the desert, and they ended up with poisonous seraphs surrounding them.
No wonder Jesus urges us to say, “Thy will be done.” And what exactly does that mean? God’s will, if we are willing to accept it, is right there in our daily lives. It is exactly the place where we are, doing exactly as He guides us to do. Remember the Ten Commandments? They are still a guide that we should be following. Jesus enhanced these commandments with, “Love God with all your strength, your heart, your soul.” And, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
As long as you put these two things together, that is, your life and His commandments and His guidance, you are giving over the power to Him. It is when we take the power back into our own hands that we get ourselves into trouble. Now, trouble like Jonah’s doesn’t come along too often, but I think you know what I mean.
“Thy” only seemed like a tiny little insignificant word in these three places. On the other hand it is huge. Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.

Be

Be
–verb (used without object)
1. to exist or live: Shakespeare's “To be or not to be” is the ultimate question.
2.to take place; happen; occur: The wedding was last week.
3.to occupy a place or position: The book is on the table.
4.to continue or remain as before: Let things be.
5.to belong; attend; befall: May good fortune be with you.
6.(used as a copula to connect the subject with its predicate adjective, or predicate nominative, in order to describe, identify, or amplify the subject): Martha is tall. John is president. This is she.
(used as a copula to introduce or form interrogative or imperative sentences): Is that right? Be quiet! Don't be facetious.

I think we need to look at definition #’s 1 and 4 this time. The first definition of being is to exist. In the gospel of John, John refers to Jesus as the Word. He reminds us that, “In the beginning was the Word.” Thereby he says that Jesus, the Word, who we know is a part of the most Holy Trinity, was in existence before all time. He says so gently and eloquently when he says, “Through him all things came into being, and apart from him nothing came to be. Whatever came to be in him found life, life for the light of the world.” John1:3-4 In the fourth definition, that “to be” means to continue or to remain as before. If then, the Trinity existed before time, it stands to reason that the Trinity will remain as before, until all time. So when we say, ”Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name”, we are saying that He will be revered forever and for always just by using the word “be”. That’s a whole lot of meaning packed into a little tiny word.
Doris Day used to sing a song called “Que Sera,Sera”, that is, Whatever will be, will be. That is very hopeful when we put God in the “whatever” place, God is, so He will be. It doesn’t matter what happens, He will still be. Paul said as much to the Romans in chapter 8, “neither life nor death nor angels, nor principalities can separate us from His love.
Isn’t that comforting? No matter what happens, God will always be. Glory! Glory be!

Hallowed

Hallowed
hal⋅lowed
in liturgical use often hal-oh-id]
–adjective
regarded as holy; venerated; sacred: Hallowed be Thy name; the hallowed saints; our hallowed political institutions.

There is only one definition here. How incredibly coincidental that it uses the “Our Father” as an example of how to use the word, “hallowed”?
The book of Revelation says, ”O Lord our God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power. For you have created all things; by your will they came to be and were made.” That sounds like hallowed to me.
Let’s stop for a moment and look at our society. Are there others who are hallowed? How about the leaders of the world? Some of them are hallowed. Are they worthy of our honor, and respect? Sure they are. How about the inventors, the scientists, the builders? Where would we be without them? How about the actors and the musicians and the sports stars? Are they hallowed as well? You know, as well as I that they are, and sometimes to a degree that is well beyond the hallowing given to God. Where exactly should we draw the line or set up some level of honoring God to the degree he deserves?
God always has the answer. This time is no different. In the Ten Commandments he answers this one with the first commandment. I am the Lord thy God, you shall not have strange gods before me. Ex.20:2 So then His answer is clear. All people can and should be revered. But none should be revered before, or ahead, or more than He, ever!
Here are some things we might ask ourselves.
• Am I putting any activity that I hold so dear, ahead of my God?
• Am I idolizing movie stars and sports teams and players?
• Am I hallowing the leaders of the world and forgetting about the creator of the world?
• Do I seek the advice of the fashion designers before I seek the advice of the designer of all creation?
Perhaps it’s time to rethink where we place honor and glory and power. Perhaps we have forgotten to focus on who is really important. Perhaps we should once more say, “Hallowed be thy name!”