Once we have acknowledged who God is and where He dwells, what should be our first request of Him? Our primary and utmost concern ought to be that God’s name be hallowed. This means both that we desire it to be so, and that we acknowledge that it is a present reality. We cannot, through our prayers, make God’s character any more holy than it already is. It is eternally perfect in every detail. But we can acknowledge His holiness. As we declare what His character is like, it prepares us for the remainder of our prayer. Recognizing the absolute holiness of the One to whom we are speaking enables us to gain a proper perspective on what our prayers ought to consist of and the manner in which we should submit our requests.
But we also pray that God’s name, or character, be treated as holy in our life and relationships. While we cannot affect God’s character by our praying, we can determine the way others view God’s character, by the way we live. We are in essence praying, “God, may others recognize how holy and awesome You are as they observe how I relate to you.” The manner in which we conduct ourselves becomes the answer to our prayers. How concerned are you for living your life in such a way that those around you become convinced that your God is holy?