De We Pray in Jesus’s Name or the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
This isn’t a trick question or a pluralistic way to approach the god of your choice. This is a simple question. When you pray to the God who is revealed in the Bible, whose name do invoke at the end?
Different streams of Christianity prefer one over the over. Each has historical or theological reasons for their preference, not to mention the custom of their upbringing.
While some Christians may be adamantly entrenched in one practice over the other, even to the point of dogmatic rhetoric, most give no thought to their unexamined habit. This ending words often spew out without a thought to their meaning or implication.
I, for one, don’t think it really matters. A Trinitarian perspective says that God is three persons in one, so to fully embrace this belief means that either practice addresses the same God, regardless of the actual name or names used.
Vary How You End Your Prayer
Though I was taught one way and not the other, I now prefer to mix it up. For one, this helps to keep the end of my prayers fresh and avoid mindless repetition. It also reminds me that the God, as Trinity, is involved—regardless if I name him fully or implicitly.
Last, it reminds me that just as there is diversity among those who follow God, there are also diversity in how to approach him. And that’s a good thing.
Since God is trinity—the great three in one—it matters little which phrase you invoke when you end your pray. What matters is that you do pray.
This will please God and honor him.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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A Personal Essay About Encountering God, Prayer, and Hiding in a Prayer Tower
The afternoon assignment at a writers retreat is to take a walk and describe our observations. Leaving the rest of the group in search of some needed solitude, I come upon a sign that simply says, “Prayer Tower.” I can’t ignore the opportunity. Suddenly, my journey has added purpose.
I take a sharp left and begin my assent. A few steps, a landing, and then more stairs. Turn right, walk a bit, and climb some more, I wind my way up the hill.
There’s another landing and then a U-turn, followed by more walking and more stairs: fifty steps and counting; soon seventy-five gives way to one hundred.
What will I find? Am I climbing a stairway to heaven? One hundred and sixteen steps later, I reach my destination: a platform, presumably for prayer. A prayer tower. Panting, I pause to catch my breath.
The vista is grand, with the panorama of Lake Michigan, my favorite of the Great Lakes. I look west, with water as far as I can see; the far shore hides behind the horizon’s dip.
A few ships dot the distance before me. An occasional car announces its presence behind me. All around are tree-covered sand dunes, sprinkled with homes and a string of condominiums.
With winter giving way to spring, naked tree branches creak to a brisk breeze. The biting wind tightens the once warm skin of my face. Below me friends walk along the beach, next to the frigid waters with wind-swept waves.
Others, having grown tired or cold, are already retreating, seeking to recapture the warmth of inside.
The sight and sounds of birds, varieties mostly unknown to me, abound, too many to count. Gulls prevail with their plaintive caw, while a diligent woodpecker tap-tap-taps, either searching for food, forming a home, or seeking to attract a mate.
Gray skies, decorated with blustery clouds, complete the picture.
God’s nature surrounds me. His wind pushes against me. Only with commitment to my task do I stand firm against winter’s final onslaught. I stand in awe. I try to pray, but words allude me.
Why do I need to climb a prayer tower to pray, anyway?
In the Bible Moses ascends Mount Sinai and God’s glory descends. There he encounters God’s power (Exodus 24:15-18).
Jacob dreams of a stairway connecting earth with heaven. Angels traverse it; God stands at the top. Jacob proclaims this awesome place as God’s house and the gate into heaven (Genesis 28:12-17).
Although encouraging, these verses, do not confirm that I need elevation to better connect with the Almighty.
In a less reassuring instance, Moses—denied entry into the Promised Land because of one act of disobedience—is told to climb mount Nebo.
His mountain vantage doesn’t symbolize connection with God as much as punishment for sin and a lost reward.
Other biblical accounts point to elevation as a place of temptation.
From Leviticus to Amos, the “high places” (mentioned 59 times in the NIV) are usually a site for idol worship and heathen practices, providing an ongoing snare to God’s people, repeatedly distracting them from him.
Some kings remove the high places or at least try to diminish their use, only to have a future generation restore them.
The tower of Babel, intended as a monument that reaches up to the heavens isn’t an attempt to connect with God as much as an arrogant tribute to aggrandizement. God quickly ends their brash scheme (Genesis 11:3-9).
Balaam has his issues with altitude, as well. Although God prevents him from cursing Israel when atop various mountain vistas and thereby keeping him from earning the rich rewards he desires (Numbers 22-24), things don’t go well for Balaam.
Jesus likewise encounters temptation in high places, with Satan twice attempting to use an elevated vantage to derail Jesus from his mission. Fortunately for us, Jesus prevails, and the enemy retreats (Luke 4:1-13).
Based on my quick review of what the Bible records about elevated places, it seems a prayer tower may not be the ideal place to connect with God. Yet here it is, and I stand atop it, seeking to do just that.
From my hilltop perspective, I don’t just see nature and friends. I also spot remnants of other activities. Bottles, mostly broken, suggest this place of prayer gives way to revelry in the nighttime hours.
Other trash is more disparaging. I see that SB climbed a tree to carve his “forever” love to ND. I try to not consider the ramifications any further. Suddenly I don’t feel quite so close to God.
This prayer tower, this high place is as much hideout as haven.
Although I encounter God in the prayer tower, I pray little. But that’s okay. I can pray anytime, anywhere, and God hears me just fine.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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We can learn to pray by following Jesus’s example, as long as we don’t misapply it
When it comes to praying, there is no better teacher than Jesus. Perhaps that’s why many of his followers memorize the prayer he taught his disciples and why many churches include this prayer in their church services.
We commonly call this The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). This prayer serves as our model.
Another one of Jesus’s instructive prayers occurs in John’s biography of Jesus. In the most lengthy of Jesus’s prayers in the Bible, we see three themes.
First, Jesus prays that his death will glorify his father. Next, he prays for his disciples. And last, he prays for his future followers: us (John 17). This final section of his prayer shows us what Jesus expects of us, which should inform how we pray.
A third prayer of Jesus stands as his most passionate.
As he prepares himself to become the ultimate sacrifice, he asks his father for a reprieve, perhaps thinking of when God kept Abraham from sacrificing Isaac by providing an alternate option (Genesis 22:1-19).
Most translations of the Bible (32 times out of 56) use the phrase “if you are willing” in recording the opening to this prayer of Jesus.
Should we do the same?
Yes. By including this phrase, we follow Jesus’s example by acknowledging God’s sovereignty, that is, his supreme authority and power over us and everything that is.
We admit his plan is far better than our wishes and narrow perspective. We concede he is in control and we are not. Affirming God’s will in this way, confirms his character.
Yet, this phrase can also give our faith an out, an escape hatch. If we make an audacious request of God and then tack on an “if it’s your will” at the end, we provide ourselves a feeble rationalization should God not answer our request the way we hope.
For example, if we pray for a miraculous healing, but it doesn’t occur, we can shrug and say, “I guess it wasn’t God’s will.” This helps stave off disappointment. It also keeps our faith intact.
Taken to an unhealthy extreme, this phrase can even remove faith completely from our prayers, along with the expectation of the answer we long for.
Praying “if it’s your will” could turn our prayers into weak, meaningless requests of an all-powerful God. May it never be.
It is right for us to pray “if it’s your will” as long as this reminds us of God’s sovereignty and character. But if this phrase effectively removes faith and expectation from our prayers and renders them powerless, then it might be wise to avoid it.
The key is that God wants us to pray. He wants us to talk to him. The words we say aren’t as important as our intent behind them.
May our prayers always serve to connect us to our Father.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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Whether We Pray Often or Seldom, We Have Likely Fallen into Unexamined Habits
How do you begin your prayers?
What is your common salutation? It might be “Heavenly Father . . .” or perhaps “Father God . . . ” or maybe “Dear God . . . ” (How about, “Hey, God. It’s me again.”) The Lord’s Prayer opens with “Our Father in heaven,” which is a good model to follow (Matthew 6:9).
Some people open with “Dear Jesus . . . ” Have you ever addressed your prayers to the Holy Spirit? He is part of the triune God, after all.
When you finish praying, how do you conclude?
Some traditions end with “In Jesus’s name we pray, amen.” This aligns with what Jesus taught us (John 14:13). Other traditions take their cue from Matthew 28:19 and wrap up with “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.”
Some use the shortcut of just “Amen.” (What about just saying “Bye” or “Catch you later,” which is how we talk to other people. Prayer, after all, is a conversation.)
What does amen mean, anyway?
The Amplified Bible suggests it implies “So be it” or May it be so.” Saying one of these declarations to end our prayers may get us out of the rut of concluding with a rote “Amen,” but it usually confounds anyone listening to us.
And what should we say in the middle portion of our prayers?
Sometimes I direct my communications with God to specific parts of the godhead according to the character or role of each. For example, I can praise Father for creating me, Jesus for saving me, and Holy Spirit for guiding me.
Or I can ask Papa to bless me, the Son to be with me, and the Spirit to inspire me. Doing this helps me see God in fresh, new ways; it enables me to better connect and be more real in my communications with God.
But what if I error and address the wrong aspect of God? It’s happened, but I don’t think it matters to God because Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all the same God, the great three in one (consider 1 John 5:7).
The point is to stop praying words out of habit and think about why we say what we say when we talk to God. He deserves our full attention, so we should avoid using thoughtless words.
So be it.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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Talking to God on a Regular Basis Is Key to Life and Faith; Don’t Live Without It
The Bible talks about praying in the morning, at noon, and in the evening (Psalm 55:17 and Daniel 6:10).
Though never a biblical requirement, the idea of praying each day at 9:00 a.m., noon, and 3:00 p.m. became a regular practice for devout followers of God in both the Old and New Testaments.
In the centuries that followed, Christians upped the number to seven, praying at seven prescribed times throughout each day. I never liked the practice of the “Seven Hours of Prayer.”
The idea that I needed to pray at specific times felt too rigid. And when I have seen monks follow this, I perceived their prayers as rote recitations and ritualistic, far removed from the personal relationship that I crave with the godhead.
Yet over time I have formed my own practice of daily prayers:
Before I Rise
I see no point in getting out of bed if I haven’t invited God to spend the day with me. I share with him my plans and schedule, giving him permission to alter them. I confess my weaknesses and share my concerns.
I ask for his blessing on what I will do and for favor with people I will interact with.
Then I rise and embrace the day.
Morning Prayers
As I exercise each day (at least Sunday through Friday—I take Saturdays off), I pray for God’s blessing on family and friends. I also pray for his blessing on future generations. I follow a couple guides that itemizes godly traits and practices.
I focus on one item per day for each person on my list. After a couple months I’ve covered everything and start again with the first item.
Of course I also interject specific prayers based on what that person has told me and as the Holy Spirit prompts me.
At the Start of Work
Before my wife heads off to work, I say a prayer of blessing for her, her work, and her day. Then she does the same for me. What a difference that makes on our perspective and our work for the day.
Meals
A common Christian practice is to pray before each meal, following the example of Jesus. I like this in concept but have trouble implementing it with sincerity.
I don’t want to mumble a prayer from rote memory or speed through an obligatory invocation as I salivate for food.
I’m so vexed by my inability to give God a fresh, meaningful mealtime prayer, that I skip the attempt when I eat alone. (I wonder if I should revisit this decision.) Only when in groups do I embrace this practice.
Bedtime
Some people lay down each night, fall asleep, and wake up in the morning refreshed. I do not. I need God at night just as much as I do during the day. I ask him to bless my slumber and to corral my dreams.
I think the command to hold every thought captive applies to our nighttime dreams as much as to our daytime thoughts. I need God’s help with both. See 2 Corinthians 10:5.
During the Night
When I wake up in the middle of the night, my intent is to pray until I fall back to sleep. It usually doesn’t take much.
Note that I don’t pray that I’ll fall back asleep; I pray for other people and situations. Also prayer seems more imperative in the middle of the night, around 2:30 to 3:00.
Always
Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). While Brother Lawrence could approach this, I cannot. But I do look for opportunities to pray throughout the day. Read about my efforts to pray without ceasing.
These are my seven daily times of prayer. I’m sure my practice will continue to change over time. While I don’t expect anyone to follow my daily prayer practice, I do encourage everyone to develop their own.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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Sometimes We Blame God for Our Pain, When We’re the Source of Our Troubles
A lament is an expression of grief, sorrow, pain, regret, despair…you get the picture. Lament occurs when life overwhelms our hearts and steals our tomorrows. Many of the Psalms are laments.
Jeremiah’s short book of Lamentations contains six laments. Those who don’t identify with the lament breeze past them or even skip this book. For others these six dirges touch at a heart level and express an unfathomable angst in their souls.
Look at the strong themes of hopelessness in just one verse, Lamentations 1:20:
Distress: We feel anxiety and strain; we suffer in our situation.
Torment: We are harassed; we experience physical pain or mental anguish.
Brokenhearted: We are desolate; we grieve over loss.
Violence: The threat of physical force surrounds us.
Death: The end of life confronts us.
While the source of lament may spring from external sources, it can also result from our own choices. In this particular case, the cause for lament is self-inflicted. It is rebellion.
Though the author, Jeremiah, carries this weight on his shoulders, his words serve to reflect the plight of the nation.
The entire populace laments, but they are the cause: they rebelled against God.
Sometimes our own actions take us down a wrong path, one where the likely outcome is distress, torment, broken heartedness, violence, and death.
We cry out to God in the midst of this, but he is not at fault; our rebellious spirit is the cause.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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The Bible is Full of Surprising Verses That We Will Do Well to Explore
Sometimes I see things that surprise me when I read the Bible—things I think shouldn’t be there. One example is when God tells Jeremiah to not pray for the people of Judah.
Wait, isn’t Judah part of God’s chosen people? Yes, they are. Yet God shocks Jeremiah—and us—when he says to not pray for their well-being.
Even though they fast and give burnt offerings, God says he will ignore them. He plans to punish them for all the wrong they have done. Therefore it is a waste of time to pray for them.
I get this. One time I committed to pray for the leadership of a small, struggling church. They were good people who loved God and wanted to make a difference in their community. I prayed for them each morning for several months.
Then one day, in mid-prayer, God told me to stop. He didn’t explain why; he just said to not pray for them anymore.
I was perplexed.
Then a friend shared his experience. He was speaking at this church, giving them their Sunday message. In the middle of his lesson God spoke to him. God said “Don’t come back here; if you do it will be sin.” Gulp.
That’s blunt. But it helped confirm that I had heard correctly. Even though neither of us understood why, we obeyed. For whatever reason God didn’t want us to invest anymore effort on this church. I still don’t know why.
What I do know is that it’s useless to pray for things when God says not to. For now that is all I need to know.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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We Must Trust that God Always Has Our Best Interest in Mind Regardless of What Happens
I recently prayed for a friend who was interviewing for a job. I have prayed for her interviews many times in the past only to not receive the answer we wanted.
Sometimes she was summarily removed from consideration at the very beginning of the process, but often she would make it to the final round only to be edged out by another candidate.
This time the position was a perfect match; the situation, ideal. I prayed in faith with confident expectation. I knew this was it: the right job, in the right place, at the right time. I assumed God would finally say “Yes.” How could he not? This was exactly what my friend had been waiting for.
She progressed through the interview process; all indications aligned. It got down to two people, a fifty-fifty chance, but with God on our side, I was sure it was a slam-dunk.
But slam-dunks don’t always work out, and neither did this job opening. The final answer was “No.”
Devastated for my friend, with my faith a bit deflated, I vented to a wise friend. He tactfully reminded me what I already knew but had forgotten in the emotion of the moment. Here is what he shared:
Protection From Unseen Danger
It could very well be that a landmine of troubles surrounded this job: internal strife from coworkers, personal attacks from patrons, a hostile work environment, poor working conditions, or any number of potentially devastating hazards.
Maybe my friend didn’t get this job because God was lovingly shielding her from harm.
A Better Opportunity Ahead
It could be that God has an even better job awaiting my friend, one even more ideal: better pay, closer to home, superior hours, more fulfilling, or a better work environment.
Maybe my friend didn’t get this job because God was lovingly guiding her to an even better one, a job she wouldn’t be looking for if she had received this one.
The Other Person Needed the Job More
It’s not all about us. God isn’t our personal wish-granter. He has other children he cares for, too. It’s quite possible the other person also prayed for this job. What if his need was more pressing, his situation more urgent?
Maybe my friend didn’t get this job because God was lovingly caring for another of his children whose situation was more dire.
In this life it is likely we will never know the reasons why sometimes God says “No.” Yet we must move forward, despite profound disappointment, confident that God wants the very best for us and will provide it at exactly the right time.
After all, that’s what the Bible says: that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28).
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Supernatural Conversations With the Divine Can Happen If We’re Ready to Listen
For much of my life I believed what well-meaning people taught me. They said I could talk to God through prayer, and he would talk to me through the Bible, but that I couldn’t directly hear from God.
Though both methods provided one-way communication, when paired they effected dialogue—sort of.
They were right but they didn’t mention actual supernatural communication, the kind that happens in the Bible.
While I believed this degree of interaction with the Almighty is possible and still happens today, I assumed it only materialized with select people and occurred in limited instances.
How I Learned to Hear from God
A friend who talks with God daily asked if I, too, wanted to hear directly from God on a regular basis.
I think it was a rhetorical question, but I said “yes” just to be sure. This is the advice he gave me to get started:
Block out an hour of time with no interruptions.
Ask God to speak to you and be ready to listen.
Jot a question on a piece a paper, and then verbally ask God that question.
Write down everything that comes to mind.
After thirty minutes I had three pages of notes and clear direction to deal with my question, but I wasn’t sure if those were God’s words or my thoughts.
I tried again a week later. This time I suspected some of what I wrote came directly from God. After more practice I was able to distinguish my thoughts from God’s words, which he places in my mind.
Though I occasionally hear a few words aloud, mostly God plants his words in my mind.
Over time we began having conversations. We’ve been doing this for the past several years. When I ask a question or share a thought, I generally hear from him right away—assuming I’m really ready to listen.
You Can Hear From God Too
This is my experience, while others who talk to God have other experiences, but the point is having regular, genuine communication with God. It is possible to hear from God, and it does happen today—even with ordinary followers of Jesus, like me.
Yes, God does speak to me through the Bible, but that’s not the only way.
Christians who have a limited view of Holy Spirit power in our world today think Paul means the written Word of God—even though the New Testament didn’t exist when Paul wrote those words.
I think a better understanding is that the sword of the Spirit is the spoken word of God, courtesy of his Holy Spirit.
If you want to hear from God, just ask—and then listen, really listen.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
We Never Know Who Has a Deep Need for Prayer or How Much Our Words Could Help
I volunteer at a parachurch organization that helps people in need and shows them the love of Jesus. After the participants had left, I poked my head into a classroom to wave goodbye to one of the leaders.
Not her usual happy self, I stepped in and asked how things had gone.
She had a rough session that morning. Discouragement spilled forth as she shared the ordeal. One of the couples had opened up, revealing more of their situation than they had ever shared with anyone else in the program.
Though skilled at what she does, with lots of experience dealing with participants’ struggles and years of life’s wisdom on top of that, she was at a loss.
Their circumstance seemed unresolvable, a hopeful solution, illusive. She didn’t know how to guide them.
Overwhelmed, their burden weighed heavy on her usually capable shoulders. As she shared their condition, I, too, felt the gravity of the situation and saw no way to help.
“Can I pray for you? I asked.
“Sure,” she answered with little enthusiasm. “Prayer would be good.” Then she continued gathering her things.
I hadn’t communicated clearly. I tried again. “May I pray for you now?”
Her eyes brightened. “Yes!” A hint of her usual smile returned. “I’d really like that.”
Despite her eagerness, I sensed a bit of discomfort, too. I didn’t know enough of her faith practices to understand how she expected this to occur. Some people become unnerved with direct one-on-one prayer.
One man shuddered at the idea of me actually praying out loud for him and asked that I do so silently.
I awkwardly extended my hand. Unsure, one of her hands met mine. As I thanked God for her tender heart, her other hand joined in. She clasped my hand tightly. Her grip grew more firm as my prayer unfolded.
I prayed the words the Holy Spirit gave me. When I said them all, I knew not to add any of my own. What had been said was all that was needed. “Amen.”
She opened her now misty eyes, and the rest of her smile returned.
“Thank you,” she said with sincerity. “It’s been a long time since someone has prayed for me.”
I was glad I was the one to end the drought and, at the same time, sad that there was one in the first place. This woman is a regular attendee at her church, a senior saint, a pillar.
Yet people in her community had not been praying for her, at least not out loud and in her presence.
Instead of being proud for my actions, I was resolute. I pledged to be more intentional in praying for others, to make sure those in my circles don’t have the same lament.
How can you expand your prayer practices to intercede for others? Is God calling you to be more intentional?
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
