Amen?

Have you ever wondered why Christians conclude their prayers with an Amen? Is it just a convenient way of letting everyone know that you are done? Or what about when someone in the middle of a song or sermon boldly shouts, "AMEN!" What does it mean to say Amen?

This week I was reading in John Piper's book Future Grace and I really appreciated his closing paragraphs in a chapter that focused on prayer.

...Amen is a full and precious word in times of prayer. It doesn't mean primarily, "Yes, I have now said all this prayer." It means primarily, "Yes, God has made all these promises." Amen means, "Yes, Lord, you can do it." It means, "Yes, Lord, you are powerful. Yes, Lord, you are wise. Yes, Lord you are merciful. Yes, Lord, all future grace comes from you and has been confirmed in Christ." "Amen" is an exclamation point of hope after a prayer for help.
When we come to the end of our prayers and say the simple words, "In Jesus' name, Amen," we are really saying two Amen's. When we say, "In Jesus' name," that is God's Amen to us. All his promises are Amen in Jesus; Jesus Christ is God's Yes and Amen at the end of our prayers. Then when we say, "Amen," this is our Yes and Amen back to God for his. Which means that our Amen, and the prayer it supports, is our Yes to God's Yes to us. It is a commitment from our hearts that we will now live by faith in the Yes of God's guaranteed future grace. (pgs 107-108)

All I can say is AMEN!