Our Thomas has started saying his own prayers. His momma told me about how he folded his hands like the father and son in his bedtime storybook once she had finished with her prayer and started saying MaMa, DaDa, A (for Amelia) and on through his list of people and things for which he is grateful. So while we were on vacation, I took the opportunity to teach him the words we pray and why. Now his prayers, including asking a blessing for his food, begin with “Dear Jesus,” and end with “Amen.”
His mother and I have prayed for words for Thomas for nearly a year, ever since it became obvious that the child knows exactly what he wants but lacks the vocabulary to communicate with us. His peals of frustration have risen in volume as his understanding has grown, unmatched by his ability to duplicate sounds. Hearing him speak has been the sweetest answer to prayer, but hearing him voice the name of Jesus is an immeasurable gift!
As I thought about how to help Thomas understand amen, I remembered that in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he refers to Jesus as God’s Yes, the One in whom all of God’s promises are fulfilled. In this sense, our prayers begin and end with Jesus, but I wanted to communicate with Thomas what I really mean when I say amen. I pray my prayers, thanking God for His provision in all its many forms and I make my requests known to Him, but at the end of the day, I can wholeheartedly say I want what You want, Father. I agree with Your Word and Your will for me.
How I go about living out my amen in front of Thomas and a watching world looks a lot like a story Jesus told the priests and elders at the temple on the day after he wrecked the money changers tables, accusing them of turning His Father’s house of prayer into a den of thieves. The religious leaders approached Jesus as He returned to the temple demanding to know who gave Him the right to act in this way and under whose authority. They were the learned elite in all things God. They already knew the answer. It just wasn’t the one they wanted. Jesus couldn’t be the One they waited for.
“But what do you think about this? Jesus asked them.
A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway.
Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
“Which of the two obeyed his father?” Jesus asked.
Matthew 21:28-31 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.21.28.NLT
Just as the religious leaders knew God’s promise yet chose to reject His Messiah, those they called sinners and outcasts, the Gentiles embraced His offer of salvation and followed Him. Sometimes my words betray my actions and at other times, my actions speak louder than words.
“For I know the One in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until the day of His return.”
2 Timothy 1:12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2ti.1.12.NLT
“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life.
He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior.
He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.”
2 Timothy 1:9-10, 14 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2ti.1.9-14.NLT
On the night of His arrest, Jesus, knowing that His time had come, shared the Passover meal with His followers. He broke bread with His betrayer and watched as His clueless disciples struggled to figure out who it could be. I’d like to think I would have been the one wondering if it would be me, but I’m sure like the rest, I would have been too overwhelmed to realize the significance of this simple feast. Jesus was about to lay down His life for my sin, your sin, their sin. The perfect lamb without spot or blemish was already suffering under the burden of our sin sickness and even those closest to Him slept that night, unable to keep their eyes open.
“He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying,
“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.
Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.”
So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.”
Matthew 26:39, 42, 44 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.26.39-44.NLT
“Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.”
Galatians 1:4-5 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.1.4-5.NLT
“For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.”
He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I, Paul, preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says.
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!”
And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ.
He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice.
We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.”
2 Corinthians 1:19-22, 24 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.1.19-22.NLT
Jesus is God’s ultimate Yes- God’s affirmation- and He always does what He says. For all of God’s promises have been and will be fulfilled in Jesus. Yes! And through Jesus, our amen goes up to God for His glory. That is why we say Yes! Amen! when we give glory to God through Christ. Let your amen be your last word on every subject and you will be giving God the final word. It’s His anyway but surrendering means saying yes, Jesus! I want whatever You want. I agree with what Your Word says. Let it be as You say.
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.”
Philippians 4:19-20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.19-20.NLT
“Praise the Lord forever! Amen and amen!”
Psalms 89:52 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.89.52.NLT
“Praise his glorious name forever!
Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and amen!”
Psalms 72:19 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.72.19.NLT
“Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:9-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.6.9-10.NLT
“They sang, “Amen!
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever!
Amen.””
Revelation 7:12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rev.7.12.NLT
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