Dear Members and Friends of IBCZ,
Last Sunday in our study of The Lord’s Prayer, we considered the phrase, “Hallowed be Thy name.” We saw that central to this part of the Prayer is that we would pray that God’s name be regarded as holy and good through our lives, by the way we live. It means our way of living would be consistent with the nature and character of God.
In this context, we can think of an artist. When he has finished his painting, he signs his name to it. His name on the painting declares to all that the work is his. And it is also a mark of pride. None of us want to attach our name to something we have done or accomplished if we are not proud of that.
One way to help us evaluate whether various aspects of our lives honor God’s name is to ask ourselves this question: Would God sign His name to this, like an artist signing his name to his painting?
Would God sign His name to my behavior and attitude in the workplace? Would God sign His name to the way I handle my money and use my time? Would God sign His name to the way I treat my family? Would God sign His name to my preferences in entertainment? Would God sign His name to how I conduct myself in personal relationships? Would God sign His name to my manner of speech?
My point is not to make us feel guilty, or to imply that we never measure up or that God is never pleased with our behavior, for I am sure that there are many times when God looks at us and exclaims, “Great job! You really handled that well. That’s just the way I want you to be. I’ll gladly sign my name to that!”
But we all know that sometimes we fail when it comes to living a God-honoring life. So, you may find this is a helpful way to evaluate different areas of your life, to see if you are fulfilling God’s good purposes for you. When that is the case, we can rejoice and give thanks. When that is not the case, we can confess it and ask God to strengthen us to do better. We can be sure that God will always answer prayers like that!
Grace and peace,
Bob