Wednesday, November 23
Let your name be sanctified.—Matt. 6:9.
That is what Jesus stated as a priority in prayer. But what do Jesus’ words mean? To sanctify something means to make it holy, clean, or pure. Some might wonder, though, ‘Is not Jehovah’s name already holy, clean, and pure?’ To answer, we need to think about what a name involves. A name is more than a collection of letters written on a page or spoken aloud. Notice what the Bible says: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth.” (Prov. 22:1; Eccl. 7:1) Why does a name have such value? Because it involves a reputation, what others think of the one bearing that name. So the way a name appears on a page—or even the way it is pronounced—is not what matters most; what truly matters is whom and what that name stands for in the minds and hearts of others. When people tell lies about Jehovah, they are attacking his reputation. When they attack his reputation, they are trying to damage his name. w20.06 23:5-7
Thursday, November 24
I am greatly disturbed, and I ask you, O Jehovah—how long will it be?—Ps. 6:3.
We might respond to intense pressures by becoming consumed with anxiety. For instance, we may worry that we will not earn enough money to care for our needs or that we will get sick and miss work or even lose our job. We may also be concerned that we will be unfaithful when tempted to break God’s law. Soon Satan will cause those whom he controls to attack God’s people, so we may worry about how we will react to that attack. We may wonder, ‘Is it wrong for me to feel some concern about such issues?’ We know that Jesus told his followers: “Stop being anxious.” (Matt. 6:25) Does this mean that he expects us to feel no anxiety whatsoever? Certainly not! After all, in the past some of Jehovah’s loyal servants struggled with anxiety, but they did not lose Jehovah’s approval. (1 Ki. 19:4) Jesus was actually reassuring us. He did not want us to become so anxious about the cares of this life that our service to God would be negatively affected. w21.01 1:4-5
Friday, November 25
The head of a woman is the man.—1 Cor. 11:3.
A husband is accountable to both Jehovah and Jesus for the way he treats his family. (1 Pet. 3:7) As Head of his universal family, Jehovah has the authority to make rules about how his children should behave, and he is able to enforce those rules. (Isa. 33:22) Jesus, as head of the Christian congregation, also has the right to make and enforce rules. (Gal. 6:2; Col. 1:18-20) Following the pattern set by Jehovah and Jesus, the head of a Christian family has the authority to make decisions for his family. (Rom. 7:2; Eph. 6:4) However, his authority has limits. For example, his rules should be based on principles found in God’s Word. (Prov. 3:5, 6) And a family head does not have the authority to make rules for those who are not part of his family. (Rom. 14:4) Also, when his sons and daughters grow up and leave home, they continue to respect him, but they are no longer under his headship.—Matt. 19:5. w21.02 5:3-5