In my Name

Today’s Gospel Text: Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name. 24 Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father." John 16: 23b -28

Reflection: The name of Jesus is special and unique! It is a all powerful, mighty and glorious name! 

We have the freedom and also the power to ask in his name.

This name means empowerment to all who are willing to be empowered in his name: “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.”  John 1:12

There are two reasons why we would use an influential name; 

• Either because we have an explicit permission  to do 
• or because we want to misuse the knowledge we have of a powerful and influential name, which can get work done.

Many of us could be doing the later with the name of Jesus and hence the Lord had to warn those who would abuse his name:    

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matt 7:21

The permission to use the name of Jesus in order to receive from the Father was given to his chosen and dedicated disciples and not to anyone else. They were allowed to use the name of Jesus because they  knew Christ and more so were known by Christ and he it is that gives them the authority to use his name.

Christ Jesus gives them the permission on the basis of his knowledge of them and only in the light of which he also gives them the approval to use his name.

We, as so called disciples, can’t freely use his name to receive from the Father unless and until we know Christ just as the dedicated disciples did, and more so are known by Christ and have his permission to do so.

Just being a mere Christian by name is not enough. What is required is to be a dedicated disciple walking in the power of Christ and the gospel otherwise it could mean the abuse of the name of Jesus.

Prayer: I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations; therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever. Ps 45:17

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us