NO 'AMEN'
Today's reading: Matthew 5-7
"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give us our food for today, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And don't let us yield to temptations, but deliver us from the evil one.*" Matthew 6:9-13 NLT
*Some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
I've added the italic emphasis that my New Living Translation Bible has included.
It's not often I notice the emphasis--but I am so glad I did today.
You, see, this is my favorite Bible.
The one I use every morning. The very one I keep at my prayer chair. The one that's marked up, highlighted, dated and underlined.
And for that very reason, that distinct and personal reason, I'm glad this translation chose not to include an 'amen' at the end of this prayer example Jesus gave to me.
Because?
Well, because I don't see where a conversation with my Lord needs ever end.
No, 'Bye for now'.
No, 'Talk to you later, Sir'.
And to me, that's the gist of an 'amen' tacked on to a prayer. It's a period.
And the Lord and I don't talk like that. It's ongoing. It's never ending. It's continual. There is no 'amen'.
