Ezekiel 36:23-27 | Remember: HOLY means DIFFERENT. Utterly different! Set apart from everything else. God had commanded the people to not misuse His name, but instead they profaned His name: by participating in pagan practices, ignoring the poor and helpless and not being a people of love. So once again: God would be utterly different. Just when we would expect His wrath, He poured out mercy, grace and restoration through JESUS!
When we pray “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name…” we are asking that His name be made Holy among us! See also: John 20:31, Acts 10:42-48, Romans 1:5-6, 1 John 2:12
Ephesians 3:14 | Our culture assumes that, “what you do defines who you are.” But the Story of Jesus pushes back and demonstrates that, rather, “who you are defines what you do!” YOU are the children of God, you get YOUR name from HIM! Not because of what you do, but because of who you are!
Ephesians 3:16-17 | This begins with Him strengthening us. Before we ever pray. Before we even remember Him. He dwells in us and gives us faith.
Ephesians 3:17-18 | He puts His name upon us, rooting us and establishing us in LOVE!
Ephesians 3:19 | Knowing the right information means nothing without love, which surpasses love. When we pray His name to be holy in our midst, we are praying that we would be filled to the full with God Himself! With God’s LOVE! That we would be the people who bear His name!
Dig Deeper: 1 Corinthians 13