May the mumbling commence!
Many of us end our prayers with the phrase, “in Jesus’
name”. But what does that mean? What does it mean to pray in Jesus’
name? Read from James chapter four (NJB)
Where do these wars and battles between yourselves first
start? Is it
not precisely in the desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you lack it; so you
kill. You have an ambition that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your
way by force. It is because you do not pray that you do not receive; when you
do pray and do not receive, it is because you prayed wrongly, wanting to
indulge your passions. (Verses 1-3)
To pray in the name of Jesus is much more than cutting
and pasting the phrase at the end of your prayer. Praying in the name of Jesus means laying
aside your own wants and desires and passions to pick up the Way of Christ –
the Way of Obedience. If we pray for
simply selfish reasons, then our prayers will not be answered as we might wish
them to be answered.
To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray with the attitude of
Jesus, the lifestyle of Jesus, and the teachings of Jesus. To pray in Jesus’ name is to be transformed
more and more into his likeness.
May it be so!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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