The Spirit of Poohbear

I had a recent question asked by a fellow believer in Jesus Christ regarding the proper way to end a prayer to God. Being of the fairly conservative persuasion, I got a little formulaic, when I expressed to him that I was pretty sure we needed to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Meaning, that our prayers should literally end, “in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray.”
He informed me that it was not the name but rather the personal pronoun, I, that was the problem. It seems he was asking whether we should be ending our prayers with, we, rather than I.
I must say, that I have never thought about this before. I have prayed a lot in public over many years and this question has never entered my mind, although, it seemed like a very legitimate question.
Reflecting on prayer and the several examples given to us in scripture, with two of them being deliberate versions from our Christ, I suspect there is even a uniqueness to the way we are to end our prayers.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus Christ gives us the model prayer denoting that we should pray after that fashion. The the ending of this model prayer seems to be an overwhelming notice of God’s supreme position in all of this, “for thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (KJV) If you are a student of textual analysis of the Bible, you will know that this ending is a later added ending and that the majority of the more ancient text sources of Matthew end this prayer with, “and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” (HCSB)
In John 17, the high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ is recorded ending with, “I made your name known to them and will make it known, so the love You have loved Me with may be in them and I may be in them.”
Certainly, there is a difference between me praying and Jesus Christ praying to God. I am told in scripture that Jesus Christ, now, sits at the right hand of God interceding for my prayers, Romans 8:34. Scripture informs me in Romans 8:26 that, “I don’t know what to pray, but that the Holy Spirit will teach me…” I also know that prayer is one part of worship. I am told in scripture in the book of John 4:24, that I am to worship in spirit and in truth.
This spirit refers both to my soul (mind, will, and emotions) as well has the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it is the Holy Spirit that teaches my soul what it is I am to pray, if I am praying in the name of Jesus Christ.
Through all of this, I have come to realize that my friend is correct to raise the question, for too often I pray with my own words, in my own power, and with my own time. Who am I to assume that God has to yield to my timing or words?
Once again, the simple question of a friend has led me to ask, “Why?” and God, in His benevolence has shown the truth from His Word. It seems only correct that I should end my prayers with the, We, rather than the, I, because it is both myself and the Holy Spirit that are praying and Jesus Christ is interceding to God.
Thank you, God, in the name of Jesus Christ, WE pray. Amen

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