From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "Barbara Warren" <bjw18@csufresno.edu>
Subject: Joyous Greetings
Date: Sunday, December 19, 1999 9:12 AM

We often sing:
"We will worship, the Maker of all things.
 Almighty God, to You our voices sing; 
 Hallowed be Thy Name,
 Hallowed be Thy Name.

 You are the Holy One,
 Father, Spirit, Son,
 King of kings and Lord of lords.
 Hallowed be, Hallowed be,
 Hallowed be Thy Name!" 
 
"...Hallowed be Thy name!"  Matthew 6:9.  Jesus declares the Father's name Hallowed.  How can we do any less?!
 
Other translations of this verse say:
"May Thy name be held holy"  Twentieth Century New Testament
"Thy name be revered"  Moffatt
"May your name be honoured"  B.J. Phillips
"Hallowed (kept holy) be Your name."  Amplified

Hallowed, in "Vine's Expository Dicitionary" is  "...to set apart for God, to sanctify, to make a person or thing the opposite of common."
 
We are to keep holy, to revere and honor the name of our God.  In these days the name of God is spoken so casually and irreverently -- as an exclamation, an expletive, a curse word.  Let those of us who are His children never hold as common the name of the Almighty Creator of the Universe.  He is LORD!  He is the I AM!  His Name is Who He Is!

"I am thy shield..."  Genesis 15:1
"I am the Almighty God..."  Genesis 17:1
"I am the Lord that healeth thee."  Exodus 15:26
"I am gracious."  Exodus 22:27
"I am the Lord who sanctifies you."  Exodus 31:13
"I am God, your God."  Psalm 50:7
"I am understanding..."  Proverbs 8:14
"I am with you."  Jeremiah 46:28
"I am the Lord, I change not..."  Malachi 3:6

These are only a very few of the 'I Am's', read them in context and search out others and behold His glory and Hallow His Name.  This Almighty, Omnipotent God is our Father because He sent His Son, Christ Jesus, to be that sin offering that we might live.  "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He (Jesus) might be the first-born among many brethren."  Romans 8:29 
 
So sing unto God and rejoice before Him.  In reverence, we give all praise, honor and glory to Him forever!  Amen.