Day 15: In His Name… (Luke 9:47-50) 11 Mar 09

My wife and I have been teaching my daughter to pray and give thanks. Whenever we feed her, we will ask her to pray, and she will put her two little hands together. After we have finished giving thanks, we will say: “In Jesus’ name…” then she will finish for us by saying: “Ah… Meh”!

I am grateful that God is placing in the little heart of this little child a sense of knowledge of Him. Even as a pastor, I do not know how I can be sure that she will grow up knowing God and live in His name. The point here is not about how clever my daughter is, or how spiritual I am to teach her to say grace and pray; it is about the name of Jesus. It is about the grace of Jesus that my daughter can be saved even at this young age.

I have no idea and cannot explain how this can happen, but it is the grace of God whereby my little girl is in the arm of a BIG God. That is what makes that little child in today’s text prominent. It is not because this little child has anything special, it is because he is to be received and welcomed in the name of Jesus (v48). And again, just like the guy who cast out demons in Jesus name whom the disciples tried to stop (v49). It is not what that guy did that Jesus commented; it is His name that Jesus was pointing to His disciples.

I have been ministering to people of obscurity lately. People who are not prominent in church, people who can disappear and no one will notice, and people who are out there in an obscure corner of our community. I don’t usually share about my ministering to others, this is exceptional. And you also don’t know who they are, because even if I tell you, you probably don’t know them too. Anyway, I do find it difficult and a struggle to do so. I want to be seen ‘working’, I want to be seen as effective and fruitful. But I know that this ministry of mine will be unnoticed and unrewarded. But this is the ministry of Jesus; this is the grace and power of His name.

When was the last time you proclaim the name of Jesus to the taxi driver who has complained to you the whole of your journey with him? Or to a hawker who overcharged you your plate of chicken rice? Or to the little children at the play ground when you bring your child to play? Or to the old folks who sit at your void deck starring at the ceiling?

The name of Jesus has power and grace.

HHS…

Abel…