In Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus gives His disciples a guide as to how they should pray. We can view this prayer, which has come to be known as the "Lord's Prayer," as a model prayer with regard to its essential content. Though this prayer is normally prayed verbatim, we must acknowledge that the prayer simply serves as a pattern for our praying. We must guard against allowing this prayer to degenerate into mere formalism, which Jesus condemned in the very context. How often have we prayed this prayer, never fully realizing its essential teaching?

The thrust of the prayer is that God is to be glorified in all things. To hallow His name is to see God as He is revealed to us in the Bible. We have noted that the names of God reveal His characteristics. Hence, we are praising God when we hallow His name. We are holding Him in reverence and honor.