In His Name

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11 "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." 25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:11-14,25-26)

The book of John records some of Jesus' most frank conversations with the disciples as taking place shortly before Jesus' crucifixion. Even though we have the benefit of knowing about Jesus' death and resurrection, we still share some of the early disciples' struggle to understand everything Jesus shared with them. They must have wondered how they could ever expect to do greater works than Jesus who had healed the sick and raised the dead, and they surly marveled over the potential implications of asking for anything in Jesus' name.

Perhaps Jesus' usage of the word greater was in reference to how wide his followers could carry the message of God's love, and how many more people would get to experience deliverance and restoration as a result. Most of us can think of times that we have misunderstood Jesus' directive to ask for anything in his name. While we know that the name of Jesus is not a magic word to wave over our prayers in order to get whatever we're asking for, the temptation exists to sign Jesus' name to a letter he would never have written. But then, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit - which would be sent "in my [Jesus'] name" to teach and remind his followers of everything Jesus had instructed. Here, we can understand "in his name" to mean "on his behalf".

If we consider, as we pray, that we are speaking to God on behalf of Jesus, our prayers might be dramatically transformed. Lifting ourselves, our loved ones, and our world as Jesus would is a perspective shift that encourages outward focus, forgiveness, grace, and compassion. We would have to focus on desires beyond our own - God's will, not ours. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we hope to live, speak, and pray in the way that

leads to life, in the name of Jesus.

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14-17)