As a Senior High teacher, I am often asked by students if they can use my name as a reference. I have filled out countless forms, written letters of recommendation, and answered many phone calls to answer questions about students and former students.
By the power of my name students have gone on to be accepted into universities, colleges, internship programs and won scholarships and awards. Any time a student has used my name as a reference for a job, if I am called by the prospective employer, I am not satisfied unless my recommendation actually gets the student where they want to go. So I am very convincing.
The most important occasion that I ever had to use the power of my name for a reference was when I was recently assisting a young man to get into Teen Challenge. I happened to have worked for several years with the wife of the intake counsellor, and had taught the children of one of their administrative assistants for many years. So when I assisted him with his online application, I added in the "comments" area that these two people could vouch for my sincerity in pledging my support and encouragement to this young man throughout the duration of his treatment program.
As I was praying afterwards for his acceptance into the program, I thought, "With the power of my name behind his name, perhaps he will get in." And I knew even as I prayed that any "power" behind my name is simply the Lord in me.
It is by his grace and strength and mercy alone that I have earned a respectable reputation for myself. It is only because Christ has been faithful to carry on towards completion the good work He began in me that there is anything respectable in me at all. It is only by God's grace that I have been able to fulfill the duties of my calling in any way, shape or form. It is only because I am being renewed day by day by the Holy Spirit within me, and being transformed into the image of Christ by his power at work within me that anyone can find anything praiseworthy, noble and good in me.
And I realized too that the Lord's mighty name behind me opens doors of opportunity for me as well. And I am the one who is responsible to walk through those doors of opportunity and work through the details of the path set before me to reach the destiny He has planned for me. There is a saying that goes like this; "If it is to be, it is up to me."
In the parable of the talents, one was given 5, one was given 2, and one was given 1. Read that parable again, and this time imagine the talents, instead of being coins, were opportunities. The ones who were rewarded were the ones that made the most of their opportunities! I want to be like that. I want to make sure, when by the power of Christ in me, doors of opportunity are opened to me, I make the most of them.
The doors of opportunity are not the only doors that are opened to us by the power of Jesus' name. The very doors of heaven are opened to us so that we may spend our eternal lives there. The doors to the throne room of His grace are opened to us so that we may present our requests to the King of kings. We may boldly enter the presence of the Almighty because we enter in the name of Christ.
Readers: Have you come under the power of His name? Have you accepted what Christ has done for you? Do you know that the work of God is simply this: to believe in the One he has sent? This is a door of opportunity for you to invite Jesus into your heart and life. Do it. Make the most of this opportunity.
Love, Darilyn
By the power of my name students have gone on to be accepted into universities, colleges, internship programs and won scholarships and awards. Any time a student has used my name as a reference for a job, if I am called by the prospective employer, I am not satisfied unless my recommendation actually gets the student where they want to go. So I am very convincing.
The most important occasion that I ever had to use the power of my name for a reference was when I was recently assisting a young man to get into Teen Challenge. I happened to have worked for several years with the wife of the intake counsellor, and had taught the children of one of their administrative assistants for many years. So when I assisted him with his online application, I added in the "comments" area that these two people could vouch for my sincerity in pledging my support and encouragement to this young man throughout the duration of his treatment program.
As I was praying afterwards for his acceptance into the program, I thought, "With the power of my name behind his name, perhaps he will get in." And I knew even as I prayed that any "power" behind my name is simply the Lord in me.
It is by his grace and strength and mercy alone that I have earned a respectable reputation for myself. It is only because Christ has been faithful to carry on towards completion the good work He began in me that there is anything respectable in me at all. It is only by God's grace that I have been able to fulfill the duties of my calling in any way, shape or form. It is only because I am being renewed day by day by the Holy Spirit within me, and being transformed into the image of Christ by his power at work within me that anyone can find anything praiseworthy, noble and good in me.
And so I realized that if this young man got accepted it is not because of anything I have done but only because of what the Lord has done in me.I also realized that my name might open the door for him, but he has to walk through it. The young man will have to buy into the program and walk it out. The doors may swing open to allow him in, but he has to personally take responsibility and ownership for making the most of the opportunity.
And I realized too that the Lord's mighty name behind me opens doors of opportunity for me as well. And I am the one who is responsible to walk through those doors of opportunity and work through the details of the path set before me to reach the destiny He has planned for me. There is a saying that goes like this; "If it is to be, it is up to me."
In the parable of the talents, one was given 5, one was given 2, and one was given 1. Read that parable again, and this time imagine the talents, instead of being coins, were opportunities. The ones who were rewarded were the ones that made the most of their opportunities! I want to be like that. I want to make sure, when by the power of Christ in me, doors of opportunity are opened to me, I make the most of them.
The doors of opportunity are not the only doors that are opened to us by the power of Jesus' name. The very doors of heaven are opened to us so that we may spend our eternal lives there. The doors to the throne room of His grace are opened to us so that we may present our requests to the King of kings. We may boldly enter the presence of the Almighty because we enter in the name of Christ.
Readers: Have you come under the power of His name? Have you accepted what Christ has done for you? Do you know that the work of God is simply this: to believe in the One he has sent? This is a door of opportunity for you to invite Jesus into your heart and life. Do it. Make the most of this opportunity.
Love, Darilyn
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