Power of Attorney

As a missionary who’s based in Cambodia for long stretches of time, there are occasionally times when important, official business needs to be taken care of on my behalf back home in the United States.  Thankfully, I was able to give my mother “power of attorney” so she can take care of that business for me.  When my attorney drew up the POA papers for us, he made extremely certain that the person I was giving POA to was entirely trustworthy.  Power of attorney, he said, is a “license to steal.”  The person holding POA can do anything in my name, and it’s as legally effective as if I had done it myself.   You don’t give that power to just anybody.  You give it to someone whom you know will act for your benefit, performing actions that accurately reflect your own intentions and wishes.

 

It’s interesting that Jesus tells us that we are supposed to petition the Father in Jesus’ name.  Oh, how often we simply use that as our “farewell phrase” in prayer, as we consistently close with the words, “In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

 

But to pray in Jesus’ name means that we are given the authority to act on His behalf.  We are praying as the authorized representatives of Jesus Himself.  We are given, essentially, “power of attorney” from Jesus in our prayers.  That’s significant power, and with it comes the responsibility to pray and act for His benefit, performing actions that accurately reflect His own intentions and wishes.

 

Maybe, next time we pray, we should end by saying, “And we ask these things as the authorized representatives of Jesus, Amen.”  Or even, “And we ask these things with power of attorney from Jesus Christ, Amen.”