So today at church, a lady from Australia delivered the message. I found it to be something I needed to hear, something so profoundly significant but remarkably unquestioned by my own mind in all my 29 years of life as a believer, that I must have sat through the entire message with my jaw dropped.
The message regarded the singular phrase that concludes each one of our prayers, "amen". Why I've never thought to research this word surprises me in light of my fascination with vocabulary, linguistic knowledge, and root words. It's not just a word of 'solemn ratification' or a 'hearty approval' as Webster puts it. As it was described, Amen, originally pronounced "ah-meen" (or perhaps that was just her Aussie accent coming out?) quite literally means "be it unto me", basically a phrase of verification. Much like how our own Constitution proclaims "We hold these truths to be self-evident", this word proclaims that we absolutely believe the words that precede it. Its root word is aman which carries three different meanings: to believe, to verify, to have faith in. Think of saying amen like you're putting a royal stamp or seal on your prayer. In the old days, a king would fold the letter into the envelope and seal it with red wax (color of royalty), pressing his symbol into the wax. By doing this, the king verified that he finds truth in and will stand by the information in the letter. The recipient could read the letter as truth from the highest authority. Similarly, by proclaiming amen, be it unto me, after we pray, whether as an act of seeking forgiveness, asking for help, or interceding for someone else, we are saying to God, "I stand by the words of my prayer and have no doubt in your will and ability and power to answer this prayer."
Now I see a few implications in closing prayer with this. First, I'm thereby absolutely verifying my words by saying amen. I believe that the context of my prayer falls within the will of God (why else would I pray it?) I conclude that I have no doubt that God in all His authority will answer this prayer. To that end, we should be careful with our words and be tireless in our pursuit of the Kingdom. As Adolph Saphir (1831-1891) put it, "few consider the deep meaning, the great solemnity, and the abundant consolation treasured up in this word, which has formed for centuries the conclusion of prayers and praises of God's people. A word which is frequently used without due thoughtfulness, and unaccompanied with the feeling which it is intended to call forth, loses its power from this very familiarity, and though constantly on our lips, lies bedridden in the dormitory of our souls."
