I’ve often wondered about our use of the word Amen.  We use it in some pretty strange ways.  Granted, we are trained to use it those ways, but I think it leads to what might be a sin.  The word actually means “I agree” or “so be it”. 

The problem here is in the usage.  I have no problem using it for an agreement exclamation.  Your pastor says something and you support him with an amen.  That’s correct.  However using it at the end of a prayer often feels wrong.  Think about it.  At the end of a prayer it is obviously not an agreement because that doesn’t make sense.  Of course I agree with what I said in prayer or I wouldn’t have said it.  So let’s look at it as “so be it”.  In many ways that phrase means the same as an agreement but there is aire of let this be the end to it.  That’s the problem.  Why would we end it?  But before we answer that I must make a point.

Now I realize that virtually no one means it to be that way.  That is to say that most are not likely using the “Amen” as an “over and out”, if you will.  However, we don’t mean to cheapen the meal time prayer either.  Yet we do.  Often.  Father, bless this food to our bodies for our nourishment and bless those who prepared it.  How many times have you heard that?  How many times have you said it?  Notice I didn’t say prayed it.  I know God hears even that.  But do we actually pray it?  There’s no real effort there. When we pray we are talking to our Almighty God.  When we pray we should be looking for change or giving praise.  Those things take focus and effort.  I’m not saying this to call anyone out.  I am as guilty as the next.  I’m saying this to bring awareness.  Let’s look at scripture.

Matthew 6:9-13 CSB
[9]  “Therefore, you should pray like this:  Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. [10]  Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [11]  Give us today our daily bread. [12]  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. [13]  And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Jesus says you should pray like this.  Then He goes on into one of the most impassioned periods of adoration and pleading recorded in the Bible.  I’m only going to highlight here because there are 12 blogs and 35 sermons bare minimum in this verse.

Look at the passion pouring out of this.

Father in heaven
Your name
Honored as holy
Your kingdom
Your will
Give us
Forgive us
Don’t bring
But deliver

When we read that, we may read it in flat tones.  But I am here to tell you that it didn’t sound like that coming from His mouth.  I can see passion here.  The passion exudes from this prayer like nothing I’ve ever heard from any of us. With every utterance there is a desire to bring God himself into our very presence.

Tony Evans gives a Sermon entitled “How to get your prayers answered”.  In his sermon he equates prayer with the desire that heaven be brought into history.  How beautiful is that?

https://youtu.be/3rXDRl1dQeU?si=kACp7U3lcngEQ3j-

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.

To me it seems that passion and effort just might be required.  Without it.  Do we really mean it?

Now back to the question.  Why would we end prayer or praise?

Look at what James says.

James 5:13 CSB
[13] Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.

Tony mentions this in his sermon too.  I don’t think that you can really miss this though.

Suffering is not Cheerful and Cheerful is not Suffering.  We are always in one mode or the other. 

We try to hide both for some reason but that something else entirely.

Suffering?  Pray.  Call out to God with extreme effort for Him to bring heaven into history.

Cheerful?  Sing praises.  How can you sing praises to God without prayer when your connection to Him is prayer.  You can’t.  Singing praises is prayer in song.

The answer to the question.  Why would we end it?  We shouldn’t. 

That’s what praying unceasingly is.  I desire to pray unceasingly.  I’m calling out to God to bring heaven into history to make that happen.

Don’t let Amen be the end!  Don’t let Amen stop it.

Love in Christ
Colby