Before I became a Christian I was barely aware of the use of God’s and Jesus’s name as profanities.  There were far worse words out there being used.  It has only been since I have become a Christian that it bothers me, not in a legalistic way – that we are breaking the rules and will be punished – but because I have learnt to love God and his Son deeply and when someone does not ‘hallow’ his name I feel that they ignore and even shun God’s beauty.  By saying we ‘hallow’ God’s name we are saying that this is serious, for ‘hallowed’ means holy or sacred.

Some days are easier to ‘hallow’ God’s name than others.  Yesterday, I was with my family in Tilgate and the sun was shining and the bluebells were out in abundance.  You could feel God’s glory and I could easily praise Him.  On other days when the news of an earthquake or terrible crime is reported or a young child is snatched away from loving parents too early it is hard to ‘hallow’ God’s name.  Why?  Because here he seems absent.  But he is not.  I think God can relate to suffering because he suffered too, on the cross in the person of his Son, Jesus, the Christ. So in the good and the bad times God’s name is to be hallowed.  It is not easy and has to come through practice and forming habits.

How?  By always hallowing His name, by seeing Him in the small things and praising Him for them.  For a good cup of tea, for a bluebell, for family, for till receipts (I did a sermon once on that, so you will have to ask me!) and for lazy afternoons.  For if we see His Glory in the small stuff and name it, we will see it at times when it is almost impossible to see – in the times of hardship.

Matt and Beth Redman wrote a song “Blessed be Your Name”, about blessing God’s name no matter what. They wrote the song after the pain of a miscarriage.  It has helped me, when things have been bad, to remember to praise God in the ups and downs of life.

So today, no matter how you feel, praise God.  Maybe all you can do is praise God for the air that you breathe or maybe you can pray and thank God for all God’s children who live and work in the areas of Pound Hill and Worth, south of Worth Road and Turners Hill Road and east of the B2036/Balcombe Road.  Amongst our schools we ask you particularly to pray for the children and staff of the Pound Hill Infant Academy and their families, for Julie Knock-Bravery the Executive Principal and the work the school does as part of the Southern Collaborative Learning Partnership (SCLP) Alliance.

Steve Burston