Last week, I wrote about the dangers of praying God’s name in vain—that is, using God’s name superficially as a “filler” and/or speaking his name superstitiously as some kind of a mantra that secures God’s attention. Both are irreverent and are therefore to be avoided in obedience to God’s commandment (Exodus 20:7). In this article, I want to briefly expand on this.
Last Sunday evening, Stephen very helpfully expounded what is often referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9–13). His explanation of the text has fuelled my prayers this past week and I having both gone to sleep and awoken with “Our Father” very much on my mind. My prayers have been more mindful, being guided by our Lord’s instruction in response to the disciples’ request, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Thinking through our Lord’s instruction has made me more thoughtful that, when I pray, I must be mindful! That is, I must engage my mind in thoughtfulness about (1) to whom I am speaking, (2) why I can pray, and (3) that for which I should be praying. Being more mindful helps my praying to be more reverent and more meaningful.
The first thing I need to be mindful of is the one to whom I am praying. I am praying to Almighty God, the Sovereign “I AM” (Exodus 3:7–8, 13–14). God’s self-revealing declaration of his name to Moses informs us that the triune God is self-existent and self-sufficient. He “is” because he exists in and of himself and therefore needs nothing. Such mindfulness both humbles and encourages. It humbles me as I pray because I realise my absolute dependence upon the Lord. The Lord is the uncaused Creator to whom I, as a creature, owe complete allegiance. But this awesome nature of God also encourages me as I realise that I can pray about anything, trusting my sovereign Father for his perfectly wise answer. Such mindfulness influences how I speak of and to whom; that is, reverently.
Second, when praying, I need to be mindful of why I am able to pray; specifically, why this privilege to call God my Father.
As Stephen pointed out, the fatherhood of God has Old Testament precedence. God called the nation of Israel “my son” (Exodus 4:22), thus identifying as Israel’s Father. This paternal relationship was not due to creation but rather was birthed by redemption (Exodus 12–14). God chose Israel to be his people. It was all of grace. But for the nation to enjoy this familial relationship required various and numerous sacrifices. They could not approach God on their own merits but through the blood of a substitute. They needed a representative. The priests, who carried out the sacrifices, along with the high priest, were the people’s representatives. The congregation could only approach God their Father through those linked to the family with the name Aaron (the priestly family).
Under the new covenant, those who have been redeemed by God’s sovereign grace are God’s sons and daughters. Those born again are born into the family of God with the privilege to pray, “Our Father.” But, like our Old Testament brothers and sisters, we also pray authorised by God’s prescribed sacrifice. In our case, that sacrifice is the Lord Jesus Christ, slain for sinners. He is both the accepted substitute and appointed High Priest who opens the way for us to approach God. This is why, when we approach the throne of grace in prayer, we do so in Jesus’ name, just as he taught (John 14:13–14).
It is remarkable that this instruction about praying in Jesus’ name appears only in these two verses and yet it has become a ubiquitous presence in most of our prayers. And that is fine—as long as we are mindful of what we are saying.
To pray in Jesus’ name means, firstly, that we are praying because he is our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). We are legitimately calling God “Father” because of the work of Jesus on the cross subsequently vindicated by his resurrection. In other words, we are saying, “Father, because of what Jesus has done on my behalf, I am able to pray.” To pray in Jesus’ name is therefore not a “mantra” that secures answers to our prayers; it is an acknowledgement of his person and work. It is an expression of gratitude to and worship of Jesus Christ. And this pleases his (and our!) Father.
Second, to pray in Jesus’ name purifies our motives. We are saying, “Father, for the sake of Jesus and his kingdom and his glory, please hear me!”
A book could be written on what it means to pray in Jesus’ name. But here let me emphasise that, when Christians pray mindfully, they are aware they are able to pray because of what Jesus has done to make prayer possible. What he has done, therefore, means that, when Christians pray, they are implicitly praying in Jesus’ name.
Though not biblically required, when we use the phrase “in Jesus’ name” in our prayers, let us be thoughtful of what we mean. Let us use the phrase as an expression of gratitude for him as our Saviour and submissive to him as our Lord.
Finally, praying “in Jesus’ name” should serve as a filter concerning what I am praying about. That is, is what I am praying for in line with Scripture? And is my motive the glory of Christ?
Reverently praying in Jesus’ name purifies my motives keeping me from self-centredness. When I pray “for Jesus’ sake,” self-seeking is dealt a mortal blow. Mindful of the name and honour of Jesus will guard my prayers from selfish pursuit of my self-absorbed passions (James 4:1–3). For all of these reasons, I want to be careful about saying “in Jesus’ name.”
Brothers and sisters, may God increasingly help us to be mindful as we pray.
Doug