It’s true that many people struggle with prayer simply because they doubt that God likes them. But there are probably just as many of us who fail to fully grasp his holiness. We have a notion of divine love while often we struggle with the full understanding of divine sovereignty. Unintentionally we have unhallowed the Father’s name. And in losing the Godness of God we struggle with prayer because we fail to grasp the mind-blowing privilege of simply being in the presence of the living God. Familiarity breeds apathy until we can barely be bothered to try.
Having reflected on both the intimacy and otherness of God as we approach him, here are a few ways to grow in our worship or ‘hallowing’ of God.
Awaking my soul – this is an act of the will. Instead of waiting until we feel like it, we begin to thank God for the evidence of his goodness in our lives.
Praying a Psalm – this rich Biblical resource can help realign our priorities and perspectives and shape our worship as we pray alongside others who have prayed the Psalms over the centuries.
Worshipping with others – the entire Lord’s Prayer is written in plural. We are not designed to hallow the Lord’s name entirely on our own, active participation in a local worshipping community is crucial.
The Psalmist encourages us to ‘sing to the LORD a new song.’ It’s important in our worship to be spontaneous, creative and ourselves.
Paul Encourages us to
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
Philippians 4:6 NKJV
I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee and have a little talk with Jesus!
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