Lesson #101—Prayer: to Glorify God

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Shorter Catechism Q & A #101

Q. What do we pray for in the first petition?

A. In the first petition (which is, Hallowed be thy name) we pray, That God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.

Memorize Q&A—Exposition

What do we pray for when we say “Hallowed be thy name”?

Hallow = means to sanctify or set apart the person of God. That we honor him as Creator and Redeemer in all areas of life, as he has revealed himself in Scripture; and that he is most present in our faith and practice.

What does it mean?

Discuss:

1. Giving God the praise: 2 Sam. 7:22-26, Ps. 93:1, 145:5.
2. God enables us and others to glorify him, as he makes himself known: Psalm 67:1–3, 2 Thess. 3:1.
3. God orders all things to his own glory: Isa. 64:1–2, Rom. 11:36

What is our practice?

“Do we pray that God would bring glory to himself out of all events? Yes: To thy name give glory, Ps. 115:1. Even out of those events that seem contrary? Yes: that the wrath of man may praise him, Ps. 76:10. Must we desire it concerning ourselves? Yes: that we may be unto him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, Jer. 13:11. And concerning all our affairs? Yes: That Christ may be magnified in my body both by life and death, Phil. 1:20” (Matthew Henry).

This practice reveals that we are not ashamed of the person of our Lord and Savior, and that he alone is the moral strength of his church, in our homes, and in education and civil government.

Quotes for thought and discussion:

“We pray that God’s name may shine forth gloriously, and that it may be honoured and sanctified by us, in the whole course and tenor of our lives. It was the angel’s song, ‘glory to God in the highest;’ that is, let his name be glorified and hallowed … the hallowing of God’s name will be of great use and request in heaven; we shall be ever singing hallelujahs, which is nothing else but the hallowing of God’s name. Every person in the blessed Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, must have this honour, to be hallowed; their glory being equal, and their majesty co-eternal.” (Thomas Watson, The Lord’s Prayer)

“It is written that apart from Christ we can do nothing and in Christ we can do all things. That is that it is the very power of God flowing through us that performs that which is against the sinful nature of fallen man. Just as we would admit I suspect that it is only of God and His working through us that we see miracles of God happen, it is just as much grace by God (Eph. 2:8). It is a true statement then that prayer is the only source of power for the believer, and yet what an awesome power that is for it brings to us the power of the awesome God of all creation.” (Chuck Baynard, The Westminster Catechism II)

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