by Danna Shirley
We all know the literal meaning of AMEN but I wanted to know what AMEN meant personally to God’s children, so I took a survey of many of my friends and family and this is what I learned:
Nils Olson (missionary to Japan): "It’s very interesting that Amen is the same in every known language on earth except for its pronunciation, as is the word “Hallelujah.” Imagine, “Hallelujah, Amen” are possibly the only two words of the original language God gave to man that were left intact after the confusion of language at the Tower of Babel! What a testimony of God’s power! Hallelujah! Amen!
Cathy Garrott (missionary to Japan): "At the end of the Lord's Prayer, it would be like saying, 'Let it be exactly as the Father wills it to be' because of "on earth as it is in heaven."
Cathy Waters (childhood friend): "I learned from a linguistics course long ago that Amen means an oral acceptance of the spoken truth. A modern translation might be "Amen to that, Sister" or “I believe the truth has been spoken.” The origin of the word comes from Hebrew and was then adopted into Greek, Latin, and Arabic. So the Lord's Prayer, or any prayer among the faithful, is agreed upon and accepted as being the truth. Amen!"
Laura Pavao (writing class): Amen is not a word I take lightly, but it is one I use often . . . “Here I stand” (as though I have a Bible under my hand) “I swear this to be true” or “No truer words were ever spoken.”
Dawna Langley (my cousin): “I put the rest in Your hands.” Dawna lost her sister Tami on Oct 1st, 2015 after a heart transplant a few months earlier. Only through God’s comfort can Dawna, or any of us say, “I put the rest in Your hands.”
Anne Campbell (my husband’s cousin): “I am finished and leaving it all up to the Lord Jesus for His mighty work to be done.”
Linda Cleverley (friend from Ohio): "I never forget how I’m to pray and thank and glorify HIM, my Lord and my God!"
Jean Crawford (Napa Valley Baptist Church): "I lift up my praises to Him as a thank You for what He has done and the blessing He has given me. I lift up my requests for His guidance and direction in my wants but He knows better than me so I want His will to be done, not mine; I want His strength to be able to accept it."
Warren Huddleston (niece’s husband): "In the Lord's Prayer Jesus’ purpose was to teach us how to pray and in adding “Amen” He stressed the importance and power to our every prayer."
Sarah Scott-Nelson (my great-niece, age 16): "So be it, just as You have said, choose wisely.”
Danna Shirley: “Amen” comes out of me so easily that it’s part of my everyday vocabulary. I am in agreement with God for whatever I am facing that day, in whatever situation I find myself, and whatever path on which God has me set my foot. For me, “all the promises of God in Him are YEA, and in Him AMEN, unto the glory of God by us.” (2 Cor 1:20)
In repeating something twice the Bible is emphasizing the importance of what is being said, as in these three verses below:
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.” (Psalm 41:13)
“Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.” (Psalm 72:19)
“Praise
be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.” (Psalm 89:52)
