| What an encouragement it is to realize that as we begin to pray, we are dealing with our loving Father. With the privilege of calling God our Father, however, there comes the tremendous responsibility of living as His children. The very first phrase after the two words "Our Father" reminds us of this. "Hallowed be thy name." What does that mean? Different versions may help us here. The Living Bible says "We honour your holy name" (Mt 6), and "May your name be honoured for its holiness" (Lk 11). "May your name be kept holy" is another rendering, also "Let everyone acknowledge the holiness of your name and character". What does this mean for us? Can we paraphrase it this way? "Let nothing I do as your child, bring reproach to your name or character." Alan Redpath said it well, "What value is it to repeat on Sunday 'Hallowed be Thy name' if we are responsible for that name being dishonoured in the office or the home during the week?" To pray those words, "Hallowed be Thy name", means that it is our deepest desire that others will see something of God's character being expressed in our lives continually. Those words "Hallowed be Thy name" can put a question over all that we do - Will this honour our Heavenly Father? That is a serious searching question, isn't that? Then think of the last part of the phrase - God's name. In the Scripture the name of God stands for all that God is - His character, His power, His faithfulness and much more. For example, here is one of the many names for God in the Bible: Jehovah-Shalom (Jdg 6:24). It means "God is my peace." Is that true in my life? Is God's name being honoured by my behaviour under testing? Do others see the peace that God can give? If not, then God's name is not being hallowed and not being honoured in my life. Many of the other names of God can be applied in the same way. HALLOWED BE THY NAME. | 
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