When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead a holy life according to it. This grant us, dear Father in heaven. But he that teaches and lives otherwise than God's Word teaches, profanes the name of God among us. From this preserve us, Heavenly Father!

1. "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name," this is our first petition. It is a matter of utmost importance that God's name be hallowed among us; for this reason our Lord teaches us to pray for it in the first place. "God's name is indeed holy in itself." God has a name above every other name. In heaven and earth there is no name higher or more sacred than the name of our heavenly Father; no name can be compared with it. It is holy in itself. We cannot and we need not make it holy. What, then, do we ask for in this petition? Since the name of our Father in heaven is so holy and so exalted, we pray that it may be holy among us also, that we, His children, may hold it sacred and use it rightly both in words and deeds.

2. How is this done? We shall place God's name above every other name in heaven and on earth and hold it holy, sacred, only when we rightly know God as He is, and what He has done and will do for us His children. God has revealed Himself and His great name only in His Word. There alone we learn to know our heavenly Father and the great things He has done for our temporal and eternal welfare. We shall hold His name holy and sacred "when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity." God's Word must be preached among us without the admixture of any human thoughts and errors, just as God has given it to us, just as it reads. In God's Word we learn how great God, our Father, is, the perfectly holy and just God, and yet gracious, ever ready to forgive all our sins and heal all our transgressions, when we come to Him in the name of Christ; the almighty Ruler of heaven and earth and yet our dear Father in Christ, who pities those that fear Him, as a father pities his children Ps. 103,13. The more we learn from His Word how great our God is, the more we shall hold His name sacred, the more we shall exalt and praise it.

3. It is not enough that God's Word is taught and preached among us in its truth and purity, that we only hear it; we must also, as God's children, lead a holy life according to it. By a holy life we honor the name of our Father. If a child disobeys his father, if he leads a bad life, committing sins and crimes, he will not only bring dishonor upon himself, but he will also disgrace his father's name. Remember how the sons of Eli, the high priest, brought dishonor upon their father's fair name. 1 Sam. 2,12. When, on the other hand, a child is obedient to his father, doing the will of his good father, leading an upright and honest life, his father will be honored by the good deeds of his son. We are children of God. We confess that He is our true Father. If we were to lead an ungodly life, how would His name be dishonored among men! But when we live according to our Father's Word and will, if we live in accordance with the Word of God, our friends and neighbors will see our good works. By our godly life we shall help others, too, to know and honor the great name of God. Our Savior says: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5,16.—By our own strength we cannot preach the Word of God in its truth and purity among us, nor can we by our own strength lead a holy life according to it; therefore we pray: Grant us, O Heavenly Father, the pure doctrine of Thy Word and a Holy life according to it.

4. As the name of our Father is glorified here on earth by the preaching of His pure Word and by our holy life, so it is dishonored by false doctrine and an ungodly life. In our sinful hearts we are always inclined to teach and live otherwise than God's Word teaches, and thus to profane the name of God. "Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." Rom. 2,23.24. Therefore we pray: Preserve us, O Heavenly Father, for Christ's sake, from false doctrine and an ungodly life!

REMEMBER:—

We pray in this petition:—

1. Dear Heavenly Father, grant that we may always teach Thy Word in its truth and purity, and that we may always live in accordance with it, so that Thy name may be hallowed among us!

2. Dear Heavenly Father, preserve us from ever teaching and living otherwise than Thy Word teaches!

MEMORIZE:—