Dear Faith Family,
One of the most common words in our "church speak" is a word uttered primarily out of habit. It is a word that passes out of our thoughts as quickly as it passes over our lips. The word is amen.
Routinely, amen follows words used to praise God, to beseech God, to acknowledge God, in other words: prayer. For millennia now, God's people have uttered this two-syllable affirmation of the certainty of prayer as an act of faith.
In more recent history, amen rings with the declaration "so be it," or "it is so." When we say amen, we validate the words which precede it--the words that speak of God's goodness, God's power, God's justice, and God's presence--as true and truly received. When we say amen, we declare, "Yes, God is worthy, God is mighty, God is here," so be it...it is so.
Amen is meant to ground us in the confidence of the One to whom we pray so that we might pray with certainty and without wavering. But can I be honest? Many prayers of mine end in amen but lack the conviction of the "verily" spoken.
I wish it were not the case that my amens are often habitual rather than faith-full. I imagine I am not alone in this aspiration. So as a way of mutual encouragement, I leave you with these words of confession and hope on which to meditate and make your own.
Malcolm Guite | Amen
When will I ever learn to say Amen,
Really assent at last to anything?
For now my hesitations always bring
Some reservation in their trail, and then
Each reservation brings new hesitations;
All my intended amens just collapse
In an evasive mumble: well, perhaps,
Let me consider all the implications...
But you can read my heart, I hear you say:
For once be present to me, I am here,
Breathe in the perfect love that casts out fear
Open your heart and let your yea be yea.
Oh, bring me to that brink, that moment when
I see your full-eyed love and say Amen.
Love you. God bless.