“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. The Lord's Prayer begins with the address that reorients everything: Our Father — not my Father, communicating that the prayer is communal, and Father, communicating the intimacy of the relationship. The in heaven locates the Father without limiting him: he is transcendent (in heaven) and immanent (your Father). Hallowed be your name is the first petition: let your name be treated as holy, let your character be recognized and honored as it deserves. The Father's name being hallowed is the first priority of kingdom prayer — the child's first concern is the Father's honor. Isaiah 29:23 promises a day when the people will hallow the Holy One of Jacob.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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Mary PatelNote2mo agoThe Lord's Prayer
Jesus is teaching his disciples to pray and the first word is "Our" - not "My". Before we even name God, we are placed in community. Prayer is not a private transaction. It is a communal address. That...
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Carlos RiveraNote1mo agoFinding rest in God - Matthew 6
God is faithful in every circumstance. The Hebrew word used here carries a richness that English can't fully capture. God is faithful in every circumstance. It implies covenant loyalty, steadfast love...
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