Keepin’ it Holy – Lord’s Prayer, First Petition

I admit, I enjoy UrbanDictionary.com . (That should probably come with a caveat. It’s not always the most G-rated website.) Recently I looked up the UrbanDictionary listing for “Keeping it 100”. Keeping it 100 is a phrase that usually gets emojified as 💯 (did you get the emoji?). However, the emoji itself simply means “100 points”. It took American teenagers to turn it into “keeping it 100” – which according to Urban Dictionary means: “to keep yourself real and true, to be honest and stick to the way you are, no matter what any one else thinks.”, i.e. “I gotta stay focused and keep it 100 these last few weeks of highschool so i can get into college. And that’s real talk!” and “You don’t have to like my decision. I’m gonna keep it 100 and do what I feel is right.” 

This past Sunday we confessed the second question and answer to the First Petition of the Lord’s Prayer:

“How is God’s name kept holy?

God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in Heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!

Basically we’re saying that when we teach God’s word in truth and purity, and when we live our lives according to God’s word, we’re keeping it 100 💯.

This brings up the issue of when we sin. When we sin, we are keeping it less than 100. Less than 100 is not 100, even if the final number is 98 or 52, it’s still less than 100. God calls us to keep it 100. If it’s not 100, then there isn’t an emoji for it. It isn’t righteousness. It isn’t complete.

Thankfully, earlier in the catechism we here this good news: “God’s name is certainly holy in itself.” That means that we don’t have to worry about making God’s name unholy – God is always going to keep His Name 100. And since we know that, we know that we can always keep it 100 by calling upon His Holy Name. Our holiness is dependent upon His Name, that Name which we are called by through our baptisms. He keeps us 100.