February 8, 2021
I often end my prayers with the words, “In Jesus’ name. Amen.” Perhaps you do too. But is that all there is to praying in Jesus’ name?
Jesus told His disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full” (John 16: 23, 24, NASB).
An effective way to pray in Jesus’ name is to pray with a desperate faith. Remember the story of 13 tired men who climbed into a boat after a long day. Jesus promptly fell asleep in the bottom of the boat while the fishermen set their sails toward home. A vicious storm soon had them frantically bailing water—to no avail. While feverishly trying to save themselves they forgot Jesus was onboard.
Only when the boat starts to sink they suddenly remember Jesus and cry out, “Save us, Lord, we are perishing!”
Desperate faith recognizes its need.
Desperate faith cries out to Jesus.
Desperate faith has a sharp-edged awareness that hope is found in Jesus alone.
How did Jesus respond to their desperation? He stilled the storm and brought them safely home.
It would’ve been easy for Jesus to have stilled the storm before it had even begun. Why did He allow it? Author C. S. Lewis calls pain the megaphone of God. There’s something about a crisis that gets our attention. Pain cracks open our hearts and reveals what’s inside. It’s amazing how unaware we can be of all our hearts contain. In a crisis I’ve discovered my heart holds unbelief, doubt, and fear.
The Lord knows our hearts better than we know them and He wants us to know them too. So, in His great love He allows us to face the storm. He gives it permission to crash in and disrupt our journey. Desperation forces us to recognize our need and to cry out as the disciples did, “Jesus, save me!”
This is how we pray in Jesus’ name. When in desperation we recognize our need and cry out to Jesus we find a faithful Savior. We can trust Jesus to still the storm and bring us safely Home.
In His love,
Pastor Karen.