May Your Name Be Kept Holy

Matthew 6:9-13-"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, MAY YOUR NAME BE KEPT HOLY. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

Exodus 20:7-"You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name."


There is POWER in the name of the Lord! You may be thinking-"What's so important about a name? What's the big deal?" When I went to California this summer, I went on a plane from Chicago that was going to the L.A.X. airport. Looking at the people around me, I wondered who they were, what they did, and why they were going to Los Angelos. Some of them were very important looking people. But because I didn't know their names, I didn't know why they were important. So, God brought something to my mind-It's ALL in the name. That means, when you know some one's name, you can know who they are, and believe that they have done all the things you've heard they did. Think about it! If you lived during Jesus's time, and you saw Him walking down the street, you might think, 'Oh, there's a guy. I wonder what he's up to...' If you knew His name, Jesus, though, you would probably think, 'Wow! That's Jesus! I want to go talk to Him! He is so great! I've heard amazing things about Him!' It's true. God's name holds so much. God's name is love, just like the Bible tells us. Here's a great story about what a person can do when they call on the name of the Lord:

1 Kings 18:22-28-"Then Elijah said to them, 'I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their alter, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the alter, but not set fire to it. Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!' And all the people agreed. Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, 'You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood. So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the alter. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, 'O Baal, answer us!' But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the alter they had made. About noontime Elijah began mocking them, 'You'll have to shout louder,' he scoffed, 'for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!' So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response."

When we call on things of this world to save us, or false gods who don't have any power, there will never be a response. Where there is no love, there is no real power.

1 Kings 18:36-39-"At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, 'O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know what you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself. Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, 'The Lord-he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!'"

If you are struggling with anything today, cast all of it on God in His name. He CAN and WILL help you, and He will do it in His perfect time, and beautifully. God is good, no matter what. He is real, and He loves you, and He is only a prayer away. He is strong! Rely on Him, and you can be strong, too.

Isaiah 40:31-"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

Keep Measuring Up! You are loved. Go in peace, timid one, for your sins are forgiven.
-Jenna Hampton
with many prayers, and help from God. :)