Day 26 : Praying in the Name of Jesus

"Whatever you ask in my name, I will do so, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, and if you ask anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14: 13-14).

One of Jesus' last recommendations concerning prayer was to remind his disciples that they had an open credit in his name. In this text, on two occasions, he insists on this central truth : "Ask in my name."

Why this insistence ? Because Jesus wants to remind us that we ourselves have no credit with the Father. The only credit we can avail ourselves of is that of Christ. We can not deserve anything. When we pray, we must trust only in the merits of Christ.

Praying in the name of Jesus is not a magic formula. We can use the formula as a form of politeness, but deep down within ourselves we may think that our devotion, fervor, consecration, zeal, fasting, and merit are a key to fulfillment. In this case, we can use the formula, but it will be ineffective. It is not the formula that counts, but the reality of the place that Jesus has in our lives.

If someone gives you a gift of a state-of-the-art car, could not it also offer you full fuel with the car ? God having given us what he had most dear, his own Son, also gives us all things with him. This is what the Apostle Paul says : "If God gave us his Son, how would he not give us all things with him ?" (Romans 8:32).

When we are fully aware that we deserve nothing, and that we rely solely on the merits of Jesus, then we can use the name of Jesus.

The expression "in the name of Jesus" is not a sesame operating by itself, apart from what you are. In the book of Acts, we see that some men wanted to use this expression, whereas they were not to Christ, and this turned to their confusion (Acts 19: 13-16). This account invites us to the utmost caution, so as not to use this formula without becoming aware of the place that Jesus has in our life.

God does not deceive himself, he knows what faith you place in Jesus. He knows if Jesus is truly your Lord and Savior.

A decision for this day :

Knowing that in Jesus God opens unlimited credit to me, I decide to entrust my life to the Lord Jesus, and it is in His name that I wish to pray to the Father.

Paul Calzada