For about the past fifteen years, I have been convinced that rather than close
our prayer with the phrase, "In Jesus name, amen," we should move that phrase to the very front of our prayer life. What is it to pray in His name but to realize that in ourselves we are not worthy to come into the Father's presence without the Mediator which the Father has graciously provided for us? Therefore, the preparation of our heart for prayer and the beginning of prayer should be an humbling of our hearts with a solemn meditation upon our own unworthiness and our need of our blessed Mediator as we approach the throne of grace. Not in our own name, not on the basis of what we have done, but in the name of Jesus--on the basis of His worthiness, on the basis of who He is and what He has done we have boldness to come before the throne of grace.
What immeasurable grace that He says to us in our need, "ask in my name." How strong a foundation we have as we approach the throne of grace in the name of Him whose name is above every name in heaven and in earth. The Father has been gracious in justifying us through Him. He has covered us with the robe of His own righteousness! Think ye now that He would turn us away when we humbly come before Him in the blessed name of His own Son? Or think ye now that He is pleased if we approach Him without humble dependence upon Christ whom He has graciously given us to be our Mediator?
our prayer with the phrase, "In Jesus name, amen," we should move that phrase to the very front of our prayer life. What is it to pray in His name but to realize that in ourselves we are not worthy to come into the Father's presence without the Mediator which the Father has graciously provided for us? Therefore, the preparation of our heart for prayer and the beginning of prayer should be an humbling of our hearts with a solemn meditation upon our own unworthiness and our need of our blessed Mediator as we approach the throne of grace. Not in our own name, not on the basis of what we have done, but in the name of Jesus--on the basis of His worthiness, on the basis of who He is and what He has done we have boldness to come before the throne of grace.
What immeasurable grace that He says to us in our need, "ask in my name." How strong a foundation we have as we approach the throne of grace in the name of Him whose name is above every name in heaven and in earth. The Father has been gracious in justifying us through Him. He has covered us with the robe of His own righteousness! Think ye now that He would turn us away when we humbly come before Him in the blessed name of His own Son? Or think ye now that He is pleased if we approach Him without humble dependence upon Christ whom He has graciously given us to be our Mediator?
