“How should we close our prayers?”

March 2010 – Grace & Truth Magazine

QUESTION: Should we close our prayers in Jesus’ name, in the Lord’s name, in the name of Jesus the Nazarene, or how?

ANSWER: Unlike many heathen religions, God’s Word does not give us any set formulas to use when we pray. In fact, in Matthew 6:7 the Lord Jesus plainly told His followers not to use vain repetitions when they pray. Many Christians either overlook or have apparently never understood what He so clearly stated, for they often repeat word for word the outline or model He gives for our prayers in Matthew 6:9-13 and call this “The Lord’s Prayer.” And have you ever noticed that this model for our prayers does not close with the words “in Jesus’ name” or any of the other expressions mentioned in the above question?

Early in Jesus’ ministry, if His disciples had a problem or a need, they came straight to Him about it. There was no need to pray in His name, as they could come directly to Him. When we read through the gospels, we find that nothing was too difficult to bring to Him.

The night before He was crucified he told His disciples He was going away and they would no longer be able to come to Him as they had been doing. But He assured them that they could speak to God the Father in His name: “Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” He told them that the Father loved them because they had loved Him and had believed that He had come forth from God (Jn. 16:23-27). Earlier that evening He promised that anything they asked in His name, He would do (Jn. 14:13-14) .

Notice that Jesus did not say, in either of these passages, that His disciples should end their prayers with the words “in Jesus’ name,” nor with a similar expression. Nowhere does He indicate a preference, far less a command, as to what words we should use in our prayers. While man listens to words, God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). He knows our attitude of heart as we pray. Is our prayer merely some ritual we’ve learned and are reciting, or a routine kind of petitioning? Do we feel we are entitled to remind God of something? Are we thanking God, praising Him, worshiping Him, interceding for someone? What are we trying to accomplish by our prayer?

Why should God listen to our prayers anyway? What right do we puny creatures of the dust have to approach Him, the sovereign Creator of the universe? We come in the name of His Son. We certainly are privileged to mention this name to Him as He delights to hear it, but since He knows our hearts, such mention is not specifically needed by Him.

The story is told of a soldier who went to see the father of his friend who had been killed in the war. The father was wealthy and lived in a mansion. The servants were ready to chase away the ragged soldier, but the mention of his friend’s name made all the difference in the world. Great was the welcome he was given! Nothing was now too good for this friend of the son the father so dearly loved. Nor did it matter in the least where in his sentences he mentioned his friend. Every reminder of his son was sweet to this father’s ears.

And so it is with our God and Father. Every mention of His beloved Son is sweet to His ears. Naturally, we cannot associate that precious name with anything evil, unholy or incompatible with His blessed person! But whether we mention His name at the beginning, middle, or end of our prayer – or whether we are simply before God in the value of that name without mentioning it – is really of no consequence. Nor is that name a mantra to be repeated exactly the same way each time we approach God in prayer. No, this would make the way we pronounce that name of greater value than what it stands for.

Many Christians customarily close their prayers to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus. This is not wrong, no matter what words we use. But let us remember whose name this is and what this holy name stands for. It is not a magical formula that if pronounced just right will ensure that our prayer will be heard and granted. And when we speak directly to our Lord Jesus Himself, we are taking advantage of the blessed privilege of immediate access to Him. Is it necessary to tell Him that we are praying in His name? It is not wrong, but it is certainly not necessary either.

Answered by Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.