“Hallowed by Thy Name”

Sunday afternoon, as I was running errands, I came across a loud outdoor Halloween Party in a store parking lot. The bizarrely evil costumes, joyous smiles, and raucous laughter that emanated from this frenzied party truly shocked me.

While many people see no harm in dressing up and eating candy, there is a dark spiritual meaning to this holiday, or “holy day.” It’s important to understand what the term “hallow” means. It comes from an old English word “hæloud” and means to make holy, sacred, extremely venerated, consecrated, sanctified, and sacrosanct. Therefore, Halloween is really a celebration of darkness and evil with deeply spiritual roots.

While we can’t change this holiday, we can celebrate “Hallow God Day” every day in our personal relationship with Jesus. One of our favorite verses is 1 Peter 1:15-16, “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”

No one can be completely holy like God, but with God’s power within us (given to us by His Holy Spirit when we place our faith in Jesus), we can surely seek to live out the truths, commandments, and ideals in the Bible. This verse has deeply impacted my life and helped me draw closer to God.

Here’s a parallel I love sharing at men’s events. Because I’m an avid outdoorsman, I love learning to emulate more successful hunters and fishermen. While I can never be just like them, the more I try to follow their tips, the better I become at my craft. I think this is what the verses on holiness are really about….encouraging us to attempt to walk closer in the footsteps of Jesus.

By trying to walk closer to Jesus every day, we can have a bigger impact on our world. Have you ever thought that your greatest ministry may not happen through a tract or book you give someone, but instead through your faith lived out practically at work, in the grocery store, or in the neighborhood? One of my favorite quotes on evangelism is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, who sagely wrote, “Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary use words.”

We’d love to hear how you share your “living gospel” with others, so reach out to us at reen.waterman@navigators.org or linda@yourrefreshedlife.com. If we can pray for you or encourage you, let us know and we’d love to help you!