Amen

WED., JAN. 18, 1984, 6:25 AM
FARM, FRONT OF FIRE

You saw this title very quickly, o son, and it seems to be a worthy one for a cold morning. This shall be one of My muses rather than a clear, sharp definitive statement. What does Amen mean to Me?

It is used, properly, as the ending to a prayer or a hymn… and as a response to any good, theological statement (though you do not do this latter with any real comfort). In English it means “So be it” or, better, “So let it be”. Why better? Well, “So be it” is an imperative statement, which, at its best, means or represents faith that the Lord who hears the prayer will respond as petitioned. It can also imply, however “You do this, now, Lord, because I want it”, which, I’ll judge, is strong on faith, but lacking in humility.

“So let it be” is strong in humility, but a bit lethargic and passive. “You go ahead and take care of it, Lord… whatever you wish is OK with me.” So you can see that an apparently simple Amen can be heard by Me in some variety of ways. I can hear it as the heartfelt, committed plea of one who is faithful, the call for action by one just a bit too arrogant, the timid closing to a prayer that doesn’t have much hope behind it, or the lethargic ending of a mechanical, non-committed prayer. And, ideally, I hear a nice balance of firm faith in My power and capacity and humble acceptance that My answer may be different from that desired by the one who prays.

Speaking practically, Amen is also an accepted, ritualistic word that simply concludes a hymn or a prayer. It signifies the end, and it may mean no more than that to many who say it, particularly when in unison. As I have told you, I like ritual and liturgy, and so a (nearly) simultaneous Amen is a nice sound… the sound of Christians “in concert”. Yes, I do like the sound of voices raised together in song, even when most (even you) are paying little attention to the theological message that you are singing. Amen is a good, symbolic word, and I have no objection to its use as a ritual, common ending.

You are not comfortable in responding, spontaneously, to a statement such as, “The Lord reigns and will care for our every need” with “Amen, brother”. That, too, can represent genuine commitment to Me and to the statement about Me (meaning, “Yes, I believe that too”). It can also be ritualistic, even to represent belonging to the group who responds with audible, even loud, Amens… which may be perceived as different (even better) than those whose Amen are inaudible or more purposely uttered.

It is interesting, isn’t it, that your little grand daughters respond to your Hawaiian doxology so positively and join in on the Amen-e so avidly. They know it is like Amen, but they also know that there is some difference… the beginning of wisdom.

Now you know that I sometimes use Amen at the close of one of these Teachings. I use Shalom more often, and the meanings are somewhat different. What does Amen mean when I use it? Yes, it can have a range of meaning… from “I have said it, this is the way it is, has been, and will be. Now that I affirm it” to a gentle prediction for the future. “Yes, I will that it shall be as I say”. In other words, it can mean a strong “So be it” or a milder “So let it be”.