Passage: Isaiah 42:8
First Petition
What does this mean? God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also
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What’s in a name? Do you know what your name means? There are times when the correlation between the meaning of someone’s name and their personality is strong. God occasionally changed the name of people in the Bible to reflect His divine purpose for their lives and service to Him.
The prophet expounds upon the close connection between the name of God and His character. “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” (Isaiah 42:8) Notice how Isaiah connects the name of the Lord to His glory. We glorify and praise the Lord in how we use His name worshipfully. When we honor God through the reverent manner in which His name is treated in our midst, we point to the glory that is a part of the very nature of who God is.
Parents spend time selecting a name for their kids to reflect who they hope their child will be. Some parents put a good deal of thought into what nicknames other kids might be able to make from their child’s name, hoping to avoid obvious pitfalls with names that can be used to tease. Just as parents attempt to avoid naming their children something that can be mocked too easily, we, as disciples of Christ, seek to avoid the misuse of God’s name out of respect and reverence for who He is and all that He has done for us. Names have value and importance and the name of the Lord especially.
Thoughts for Reflection
How can you uplift the name of the Lord in your speech to give glory to Him?