In my spiritual life I have been practicing for decades something BL speaks of as well, and that is my desire to come to the Lord in as simple a way as possible. I speak to God frankly and from the heart, and I speak in just plain words. And I speak briefly using as few words as necessary. I know that God already knows everything that is on my mind, just as He already knows everything I want to say. So there is never a need to speak in voluminous words or in flowing words. I just speak directly and briefly to Him from my heart.
I am always begging the Lord in my brief conversations with Him. I seek the Lord deeply, imploring Him to help me in my pain and sorrow and fears in life. I pray constantly for forgiveness! As my heart opens and my thoughts surface I speak to the Lord about what is most urgent. I know He hears me and I know he will certainly answer my prayers in His own ways and in His own time. When I pray “in the name of Jesus Christ” or “through Christ, Our Lord” I am always aware of the truth that all my prayers come with an asterisk, a foundational condition: that I always pray desiring God’s Holy and impeccable will be done regarding my prayer, and that is voiced in the Name of Jesus Christ. Simply put, I ray in His Name because He commanded us to do pray in His Name! In other words I wish for His kingdom to come and His will to be done regarding my prayers, and that is why I pray in His name, and not in my own name. My prayer always has that condition, that qualifier, that what I feel I need, and that what I am requesting God to hear and to grant, is always in service to what He desires for me regarding every specific prayer. So I pray through Jesus Christ, in the Name of Jesus Christ! Not in my own name! What matters the most in prayer is what the Lord wants, not what I desire.
So I pray in His Name!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
Draw me to pray and to meditate quietly in Your Presence each day.
Forgive me and put my feet back on the path You have laid out for me.
From the Bible:
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” John 14:13-14.
“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” Matthew 21:22.
“If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” John 14:14.
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” John 14:13.
“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” John 16:24.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” John 15:16.
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” Mark 11:24.
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” 1 John 5:14.
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” John 15:7.
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” Colossians 3:17.
“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him” Romans 10:12.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you” John 16:23.
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous person runs into it and is safe” Proverbs 18:10.
“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in one another” Psalm 118:8.
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