Happy Tuesday!!

Tonight’s writing is inspired by several different events. First, in a month from yesterday Casey will have been gone for a year. Second, I have always been a Patrick Swayze fan and his death brought about the memories of Casey’s passing and last, Geni and Travis walked away from a horrible but miraculous car accident.

Hallowed Be Thy Name

Have you ever been in the depths of despair so badly that you could not even pray? Your heart is so torn up into little pieces that you cannot make a complete sentence. When all is going wrong in our lives and the depths of despair is the high place of our thinking; that is the time when the words of prayer are absent; that is when, in the silence of our aching souls we speak the name of “Jesus.” I know I have written about different parts of The Lord’s Prayer and tonight I would like examine the phrase “Hallowed be Thy name.

In the last two years I have felt sorrow and emptiness like I have never felt it before. In just less than a month Casey will have been gone a year. Sometimes remembering almost keeps me from breathing. Sometimes the words for prayer are pretty quiet. However, in the quietness, speaking seems to “violate” the moment. According to Max Lucado in his book Cast of Characters, “silence represents the highest respect” when you have laid your soul at the feet of the Father in the throne room of grace. It is in those times that only you and the Father are present. “Hallowed be thy name” does not mean we have to have the right words or even the right heart. “it is not eloquence the Father is seeking, He seeks our honesty. “

God knows our heart better than anyone ever could. The Father would rather us be honest before Him in our doubts, our uncertainties, our sadness and even our anger and let Him speak to our hearts than to try to hide things from Him and not be honest for ourselves. But when all of these things are so overwhelming that we can’t even pray, let us silence ourselves, bend our knees in reverence; trust and pray “Hallowed be Thy name.”

In the midst of the storms that we encounter let us make it a point to be still and let the Father soak us in His peace. Let Him bathe us in His eternal glory. Let us be open and willing to let God have control during the silence (we think we are in control when we are talking). Let the silence become a place of peace and security because we are in the presence of the Living God. It is in the silence that we can honestly confess “Hallowed be Thy name.”

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.