Hollow or Hallow?

Today was a super busy day. It started off with going to get my hair cut (and colored…bye bye grey!!!) with my friend who I have known for 35 years!!! I so loved that although I only see her when I come to get my hair fixed, we always pick up right where we left off and jump right into the deep things of God, enjoying the growth and the learning from each other!

After that, I jumped in my car and drove an hour and a half away to meet friend who lives in south Florida, who was nearby visiting her daughter. Again, we almost immediately dove deep into our lives and how we were navigating through it all with Jesus. After we left, I received this text from her: “Thank you♥️ It was encouraging for me to see you have battles, too. I’m sorry you do, but it was helpful for me.” There’s something special about friendships that can share one another’s struggles with no judgement, just understanding, love and prayer. To just know that they struggle too is such an encouragement that we are not alone in our hardships. It gives us courage.

As I drove home, I just began thanking God for friendships that are not shallow.

We’ve all had those, haven’t we? The friendships that only stay on the surface and never dive deeper into the heart. It’s the weather, logistics of something y’all have to do, or maybe a little “safe” complaining, but nothing more. It’s almost as if it is off limits to go any deeper than that. You end up after the conversation wondering if you really know the person, certainly feeling quite empty, like there’s little connection.

I wonder if Jesus feels that way sometimes about our relationship with Him….that it is so shallow and “surfacey”, when He wants to take us so much deeper.

“Deep calls to Deep”….Psalm 42:7. The deep places in God’s heart, calls or invites the deep places in our hearts to Him. He wants to take us deeper and deeper into His heart so that we can know Him intimately, which gives us an identity to confidently make Him known to those around us.

God is not after a surface relationship with us. He wants it to be deep. Really deep.

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, His first statement was, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

For the most part, I have only considered the word “hallowed” as being “holy”, and certainly that is part of it. But there is a “deeper” definition hidden for those who are willing to dig a little deeper. In doing so, you find that this really means “to make God’s name and reputation holy….something to be special and separated above all others”. It’s the idea that God’s reputation would be spread all over the world. Jesus expressed that in Matthew 28:19 to “make disciples of all nations.”

The Hebrew word for “hallowing God’s name” is kiddush hashem and it mixes together God’s reputation and our loving deeds as Christ followers. Sharing the gospel without caring for the needs of others is as empty as caring for one’s needs yet not revealing that the reason is Jesus. In the eyes of the Jewish community, you couldn’t separate the two. In Matthew 10:7-8, Jesus sent His disciples out and told them to both heal the sick and to proclaim the Kingdom. Without one or the other, it would be hollow.

So to “hallow” God’s name would be by way of example, if you ordered a bunch of food and when you got to the drive through window, the cashier only charged you for the equivalent of one drink. You know your charge should be much more. So instead of paying what she said, even though no one would have known, you chose to do the right thing and tell her you think you owe her more than that. Then, the cashier wonders what kind of honest and integrity filled person you are and a door is opened to share Jesus and His love with another. That is hallowing God’s name. Living in a way that honors and accurately represents the heart of God: upholding His reputation.

Do you have deep friendships with others? If so, thank God for them! Are your friendships shallow and empty? How can you take them deeper or seek others if those refuse to go deeper? Yet deeper still, is your relationship with Jesus, hollow or hallow?

Is your relationship with Jesus, hollow or hallow?

It is the Father‘s most earnest desire to have a deepening relationship with you, where your love grows, and you grow to live like Him, finding true freedom and fulfillment. I pray that today you would make up your mind to dive in deep with the Father and find the most intimate, powerful, freeing and completely loving relationship that changes your life forever! It’s starts by simply saying to Him, “Jesus, I want to grow in my relationship with You. Will You please take me deeper into Your heart?” Then, gather with others who have that same desire and watch what the Lord will do!!! You will experience Him in such real ways that you will never be satisfied with hollow ever again.

You are loved,

Jena

Join us for The Deeper Retreat, November 12-13 and let’s dive deep together into God’s presence!!! To find out more and to register, go to https://www.jenaforehand.com/the-deeper-retreat