world unseen and the willing
Source of all spiritual good. We sometimes wonder Christ preached so
little and spoke so little as men do now in directing sinners to Him;
but He knew that while He lived this was almost useless, and that events
would proclaim Him more effectually than any words.

But when Christ gives as a reason for the greater works of His disciples
that He Himself went to the Father, He also means that, being with the
Father, He would be in the place of power, able to respond to the
prayers of His people. "I go unto the Father, and whatsoever ye shall
ask in My name that will I do." No man in Christ's circumstances would
utter such words at random. They are uttered with a perfect knowledge of
the difficulties and in absolute good faith. But praying "in Christ's
name" is not so easy an achievement as we are apt to think. Praying in
Christ's name means, no doubt, that we go to God, not in our own name,
but in His. He has given us power to use His name, as when we send a
messenger we bid him use our name. Sometimes when we send a person to a
friend we are almost afraid to give him our name, knowing that our
friend will be anxious for our sakes to do all he can and perhaps too
much for the applicant. And in going to God in the name of Christ, as
those who can plead His friendship and are identified with Him, we know
we are sure of a loving and liberal reception.

But praying in Christ's name means more than this. It means that we pray
for such things as will promote Christ's kingdom. When we do anything in
another's name, it is for him we do it. When we take possession of a
property or a legacy in the name of some society, it is not for our own
private advantage but for the society we take possession. When an
officer arrests any one in the Queen's name, it is not to satisfy his
private malice he does so; and when he collects money in the name of
government, it is not to fill his own pocket. Yet how constantly do we
overlook this obvious condition of acceptable prayer! To pray in
Christ's name is to seek what He seeks, to ask aid in promoting what He
has at heart. To come in Christ's name and plead selfish and worldly
desires is absurd. To pray in Christ's name is to pray in the spirit in
which He Himself prayed and for objects He desires. When we measure our
prayers by this rule, we cease to wonder that so few seem to be
answered. Is God to answer prayers that positively lead men away from
Him? Is He to bu