when God says yes

 2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

I wonder how many promises God has made.  A quick google search yields answers all the way up to 3,500.  But as we read in the Scripture above, it doesn’t matter how many, what does matter is that every promise is fulfilled in Christ.   Each and every one. The answer is “yes!” in Christ; He embodies the yes of God.  He accomplishes it and He proclaims it. The Father has made countless promises, our Savior has fulfilled each one. 

And what do we do? 
We glorify God by saying Amen. 

Surprisingly, Amen doesn’t mean “the end” but instead means “truly, so be it, yes, I agree.”   It is an agreement with the Father.  It is our yes in response to all that He is, says, and does. And it is one of the most universal words in human language. 

I wonder what it looks like to say “amen” to the Father?
I think of Mary’s response when Gabriel told her of the child she would bear: “Yes, Lord.  May it be to me as You have said.”  I’m sure she had so many questions, but she said yes anyway.  Agreeing with God doesn’t mean we have every answer, it means in the midst of uncertainty, we say yes anyway.  It doesn’t mean we’re idle, it means we join what He’s doing as an active participant. It doesn’t mean we don’t ask, seek, and knock, it means we persist in prayer and also submit to His way.

I’ve struggled through some of God’s “nos” over the years.  Hearing No is difficult.  I assume this is universal.  But it seems God’s “yeses” are also difficult.  Maybe we don’t believe what He says--that’s He’s that good, or that His yeses are actual fact and not just theory.  Maybe we are so stuck on a no, that we’ve overlooked His yeses.

Like the first two in the garden, hyper focused on the one No of God, and unable to fathom the goodness of His infinite yeses, we too have trouble seeing the abundance of Yeses He gives: Comfort? Yes! Strength? Yes! His presence in joy and pain? Yes!  Eternity with Him? Yes! Mercy? Grace? Yes! An endless supply of uncommon love? Yes!  Wisdom? Yes! Favor, righteousness, peace that passes understanding, healing, resurrection? Yes! Rest, A new name, victory over sin and death? Abundant life, calm in the storm, joy unspeakable, forgiveness, soul-delight, Living Water, broken chains, intercession before the Father? Yes.

Sometimes I voice the Amen because I’m completely on board with what He’s doing, and sometimes I say Amen so my heart hears my mouth and tags along.  When God’s plan veers a different direction than my desires, willingly saying yes to Him is hard. My fickle heart oscillates between wanting my own way and wanting His.  I wonder if growth in Christ is essentially aligning our hearts with His, agreeing with His promises, agreeing with His yeses and nos.  

Oh dear friend, what is God speaking and doing that you have resisted?  Know that your God has declared good things.  Cling to what He’s promised and shout a resounding Amen.