Say, you have messed up royally, but you still want God to be on your side and act on your behalf, how would you pray?

You certainly wouldn’t pray that God will be good to you because of your righteousness. And you certainly don’t want God to treat you according to His justice, since if He did, you would be condemned. Then, how would you pray so that He will still be good to you?

You pray that for the sake of HIS name, He will be good to you. That, in order to uphold His great name and His reputation, He will be good to you even though you didn’t deserve it. There is one thing that God cares about more than anything else, even probably more than being just, and that is upholding His holy name. That is the very essence of His glory.

“It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came… And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.” Ezek. 36:22-23

Israel has messed up royally. God couldn’t do anything that would benefit her if He did to her according to what she deserved. The only way He could do that is if He did it for His holy name. By being merciful and gracious to undeserving Israel, God was demonstrating how great He is.

For your name sake, O Lord, be gracious and merciful to us. Do not treat us according to what we deserve. Treat us according to your undying love! (This, of course, assumes that we are repenting and coming to God as we pray)

PH