October 20, 2026

The Check

John 14:13-14 – “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

The young woman slid the check across the bank counter with a smile. Her grandmother had mailed it for her birthday, and every line had been filled out in careful cursive: the date, her name, the amount written in both numbers and words, even a little note in the memo line. The teller studied it for a moment, then gently pushed it back. The signature line at the bottom was blank. Everything else on the check was correct, but without that one name, the bank had no authority to release a single dollar.

Jesus told His disciples that whatever they asked in His name, He would do, so that the Father would be glorified in the Son. Believers come to God with no account of their own to draw from. Every blessing, every answered prayer, and every bit of access to the Father rests on the name and finished work of Jesus Christ. His name carries the authority that releases what God has promised.

Peter understood that authority when he met a man who had been lame from birth at the temple gate. He had no silver or gold to give. Instead, Peter commanded him to walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and the man stood up, walking and praising God.

Praying in Jesus’ name means coming on His authority and asking for what fits His character and purposes. The words at the end of a prayer carry weight only because of the One they represent. A check means nothing until the right name is signed, and the believer’s requests reach the Father through the only name heaven honors.

Today’s Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that Your name gives me access to the Father and authority in prayer. Amen.

Reflection Question: Have you been treating “in Jesus’ name” as a closing phrase instead of the authority behind your prayers?