Power in a Name

…do everything in the name
of the Lord Jesus.

Colossians 3:17

As a participant on a panel I heard a group of teenagers once ask, “If Jesus was all about love, why have so many been killed in his name?” The question intrigued me, as did the uncertainty of the panelists. In response, I asked, “What events are you thinking about specifically?” One shot back, “the Crusades” another followed with “Hitler killing the Jews.” Their only points of reference were events instigated by Christians from the 11th century and they put them along side a 20th century event perpetrated by a mad man. Now I was the one uncertain how to proceed!

We live in a period of history where the past is muddled for the majority of individuals. Allowing events to flow into each other we’re not able to make distinctions between what is truth and what is fiction. If, as Jesus followers, Truth is our guide then it becomes an absolute necessity in this environment to know what we’re talking about.

If doing everything in the name of Jesus is our compass then we better know everything involving the power of His Name. Jesus sends out his disciples with only His name and they heal, restore; changing lives through the Kingdom message.

The name of Jesus is both powerful and testimonial. Doing everything in the name of Jesus demands our time to intimately know Him and allowing it to saturate our souls, causing a life transformation. Think about the end result, however--a powerful transformation in our world.

I pray that the teenagers will know that transformation.

Jesus, thank you for giving
me the power of Your name.
Be my teacher.
I am committed to learning
more about how Your name
can transform my life and
the world.
Amen.

The Healing of the Paralytic by Netherlandish (16th century painter) National Gallery of Art