and whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus

This morning, I enjoyed this verse from Col. 3:17

And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

In our Christian life and experience, we need to call on the name of the Lord, breathe Him in and taste Him, and be one with Him in an organic way. In Ephesians 5:20 it says that we need to give thanks for all things at all times in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Everything we do and at all times, we need to be in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and do everything in His name! Actually, even our own name – Christ-ians – shows that we are in Christ, one with Him, even we are His. This is our reality in our Christian life – we live a life in the name of the Lord Jesus.

This is not something “religious” or outward – it is the expression of an inward reality. Just as the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, lived for the Father and expressed the Father, doing things for the Father and in the Father’s name – so we live for Christ, one with Christ, and do things for Christ in His name.

And the Lord promised – greater things we will do than Him(since we are His Body, we are His full expression). If we do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, we are victorious – this name is victorious, all-glorious, exalted! When we do things apart from the Lord, not by contacting Him and calling on His name, we are defeated.

Even the ordinary things of our daily life, such as having breakfast, working at the office, going to school, interacting and living in our family and church life, dressing, walking, behaving, talking to people, etc – all these things, we need to do them in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Not only the BIG things (such as deciding where to live, what career to choose, choosing a spouse, buying a house or buying a car, etc) need to be done in oneness with the Lord / in His name: in all the small things we need to be in the name of the Lord and do everything in His name.

Doing all things in the name of the Lord implies two things: that we are in Christ and that He is in us (He is one with us and we are one with Him), and that His Word that abides in us regulates us and controls us(even limits us, operating in us that we may do God’s will and not the evil intention of Satan in our flesh).

On the one hand, we enjoy the sweet oneness and communion with the Lord, and on the other hand, we are limited by His Word that we pray into us – from doing things apart from Him, not according to Him, and not doing His will. Lord, keep us in Your name, calling on Your name, and doing everything in Your name!