Who Do I Represent?

By Pat Kempf

1 Kings 2:20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.” The King replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need."

Out of their relationship, King Solomon would not refuse Bathsheba his mother. Out of our relationship with the King of Kings, He is saying I will not refuse you. Insert your name in the verse from 1 Kings.

So with great reflection I ponder my request before I speak. I want to ask with a right heart, from a place of pure motives. But Hebrews reminds me that I don’t have to have it “all together” to approach Him with a request. Hebrews 4:15 says the He is able to sympathize with my weakness.

Many times in Scripture, the Lord told us to ask of the Father, in His name, in the name of Jesus. (John 15:16, 16:23, 24 ,26)

What would it be like to have the full assurance that my petitions were being heard? When I approach the Father in the name of Jesus do I understand the significance of it? It is not merely a salutary greeting like sincerely yours, or yours truly, or a tag line to add at the end of my request or my prayer.

When I use another person’s name, it is as if I am their ambassador. Like an ambassador to a country, that goes in the name of the President of the United States. I have been appointed to the position of speaking on behalf of the President, representing him.

As a woman when I marry, I take on my husband’s name, after we exchange vows to be faithful to one another, and we come into covenant with one another. And by a proclamation or declaration of an appointed person representing God and/or civil government, I now have the authority in the sight of God and civil government to use my husband’s last name. Because of our covenant I represent us, not just me. When I covenant with Jesus, I now represent us and not just me, when I use the name Christian. When I use the name Christian I am representing Jesus, as I represent myself.

There was a day when names were given based on the character traits, you wanted your child to have or what you saw as you looked at our child. Each name had a meaning. And some young mothers-to-be look at books with names and their meanings before deciding to name their children.

When people hear your name, do they know you? Those that know you immediately form a picture of you, when they hear your name. Quite often they picture things you have done, or they remember your character, the way you treat people. Your name represents who you are.

When you don’t know the name of the person, you ask someone who knows the name to tell you about that person. Our names identify us – they are our identity.

So what do others think of me, when they hear my name? If they say, I don’t know that person, and they are told he/she is a Christian, what does that tell the other person about me? Do I truly represent the covenant I made with Christ Jesus?

We all need to think about whom we are representing, and what character traits people will associate with our name. We all need to remember who we are in Christ – our true identity as a Christian.

Lets pray: Father, in the name of your Son, Jesus, I come to you. Help us all, those who carry the name Christian, to examine our commitment to you. Help us to come back into right standing with you; we want to be known by you. If our hearts have strayed from our first love, help us to re-covenant with you. Forgive me Lord for the times I have not fully represented you the way I should have. Please forgive me, Lord, for the times I have not been patient, or kind, or gentle; or have not protected, or trusted, or persevered, but instead have been rude, envious, self-seeking, or prideful. I ask for mercy and grace in my times of need. I ask you to light a fire in me to rekindle my first love and to fill me up with your love, so I might better represent you and your love for others. I ask this through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Amen

Who Do I Represent?

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