Prayer – Day 11
First petition
Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli
NgokukaMathewu 6
To a Jew, a person’s name was more than just a way of identifying the person physically; your name also reflected something of your nature. In this case there is no doubt that the prayer is directed to God. In the Old Testament God’s name stood for God himself. The name of God was thought to be too holy to pronounce and he was referred to in Hebrew as simply Hashem (“the Name”).
When we pray that God’s name will be made holy, we are praying that God himself will be given the reverence and honour due to him. Giving reverence to God also means acknowledging his place as ruler of the world.
When we pray these words, we acknowledge the nature of God as holy and distinct from ours. This will lead us into a closer walk with our Creator and striving for holiness within ourselves. Reflect therefore on the character of God and ask him what you need to do today to hallow his name.