I heard a great message on this verse this week. As I've been meditating on it, I realise that this small verse is so important.
There are two wonderful truths in this verse. First of all, the promises God makes to us are answered YES. So when we see a promise in the Word of God, it is a resounding YES for us. When God speaks to us in our lives - however He chooses to do so - then those Words are a sure promise. He says YES.
The second part of truth is linked with a "So" - indicating we have a part to play. So what is our part? Our part is to say "amen".
Amen means 'so be it'.
God won't move in our lives without a "so" or an action or an assent from us. He doesn't want robots or puppets who only move when He pulls the strings. He designed us with a free will. It's up to us whether we want His promises. In order to accept them we must do our part. What is our part?
There are two parts to the "amen". There's the word and the deed. If we want God's promises in our lives, the first thing we must do is agree to them. There is power in our words; in fact Prov 18 says that Life and death are in the power of the tongue. We can build up or tear down; we can encourage and build someone up or we can hurt and wound with our words. The scars of hurtful words leave their marks for much longer than physical wounds do. Words are powerful, yet we use them so flippantly. We must beware of our words.
Therefore, the act of speaking the amen is important. Do you want God's promises? Then say so! Say amen to all those promises. If you've ever been in church and there's one person who is always shouting loud "Amens" to the preacher's sermon, they're not being loud or annoying - they're actually walking in a biblical truth and claiming all the promises of God! You could have had those blessings! I could have had those blessings!
The second part of the amen is action - allowing the promises of God to manifest in our lives. Sometimes for God's promises to manifest, we need to make room for them. When God gives you something, He's planning on it being abundant - pressed down, shaken together, running over - so we may need to prepare for the blessings and promises of God. We might need to get rid of some stuff in our lives to make room. We may need to make a stand and do something that looks odd to the world to fulfil the promise God has spoken over our life. Whatever it is we need to do, it is worth it. It may be as simple as keeping on track, and keeping walking in the Word. It may mean a life-changing scenario if your promise from God is a call to mission. We each have individual promises that God gives us, paths that He has prepared for us, but whatever we are called to do, we can do in His strength and for His glory.
It's all for God's glory. Our lives are designed to be reflections of God's glory. Saying Amen to the promises of God is for His glory and our blessing.
