Nehemiah 8:6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon returns an answer for amen which is tied very closely to faithfulness. The document states “Its proper place is where one person confirms the words of another, and expresses a wish for the issue of his vows or predictions; fiat, ita sit; Amen, so be it;”

I had asked for a definition in Sunday School class one day for amen. I waited for the typical answer found on the lips of most Christians, “I agree”. A young lady answered in the spirit with the most perfect of answers which reached back thru time and illuminated that answer found in this Lexicon.

“May it be so with me.”

She expressed the wish of the issue of the vow in a most personal way. Not that I simply agree, but let it be done unto me according to your Word O Lord. That is a personal response that goes beyond belief and agreement, it indicates faithfulness.

So many times I hear statements of faith that are safe because they see no risk in agreement. It is so easy to agree when you don’t have skin in the game. We praise God in forgiveness, mercy and grace when it is extended towards us.

Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Ouch.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Self-sacrifice sounds easy until we come up against that moment when self takes the driver’s seat. We start heading towards the intersection of mercy and forgiveness because we failed to be AMEN in that moment.

1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Do you like giving good gifts? How do you determine what is a good gift for someone else? Is it based on who you are and what you like? Is it based on what the recipient likes? If you were to ask me what that has to do with 1 John 3:22, getting anything from God is a gift because we do not deserve anything. Much of the work based reward system says I deserve what I earned by doing the work.

Matthew 20:4, 12, 14 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

No one is more worthy than another based on works. That which we receive of God is based on those commandments which are written on our hearts and the obedience of faith which flows from a right heart attitude. The key to this passage is in the condition of the heart. If you have a heart after God, God will give you the desires of the heart.

The desire of my heart was to find a man who loves God and wants to grow in Christ to be my disciple. God granted me the desire of my heart.

A Godly desire receives a Godly gift. It is not that I deserve such a gift. The honor stems from a right heart attitude. It is not based on works that I might deem necessary to receive that honor.