June 6, 2024

Today's Reading: Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer - The Conclusion

Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 3:5-24; John 11:38-57

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.* Amen.

What does this mean? This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen means yes, yes, it shall be so.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We’ve memorized what amen means. Yes, yes, it shall be so. We rarely contemplate how much it says. We know amen doesn’t mean prayer is over now. But we rarely focus on the fact that amen doesn’t mean “maybe this won’t happen, even though deep down I don’t know how to pray without that reservation.” When we say amen, we’re not just certain Jesus is our guest and all His gifts to us are blessed; we say we’re certain our aunt’s incurable cancer will be cured by God’s merciful hand. We say we’re certain there will be peace going forward, even though there’s only been war going back as far as the Fall. We say the impossible isn’t just possible. We say it’s outright going to happen. Yes, yes, it shall be so. And that’s insane. 

Then again, it’s insane that someone would die and then rise from death to live again. It’s insane that He would face this suffering for the ones who sin against Him to save them from themselves. The cross is insane. The love that drives God to bear it willingly to save you is insane. And the hope that comes from it defies all reason, too. Christ is risen. All who trust in Him will rise. In Christ, cancer has claimed 0 lives. They’ll just rise again. In the resurrection, we expect with all certainty there will be no more war or sin. The impossible isn’t just possible. It’s outright going to happen. So when we say amen, we tie it to the love that bore the cross and conquered death. It isn’t trust in an event, but in the one who will work it. So it isn’t a trust in the timing or method you’re thinking of, but the one who works all things for good. Even if it isn’t until after the resurrection, you’ll get that Godly prayer. And if that seems too far, the same love will carry you to that day when you can’t get there alone. So let your amen be insane. Let it defy your reason and strength. Let it defy your fear. It doesn’t rest on anything other than God’s love, which is greater and more certain than all those things anyway. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

No blinding sign we ask, No wonder from above. Lord, help us place our trust alone In Your unswerving love (LSB 424:3). 

- Rev. Harrison Goodman is the content executive for Higher Things.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

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