Yes and Amen 2 Corinthians 2:19-20

New International Version (NIV)
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 heard a bishop preach on this verse last Sunday. I just finished reading it (2 Corinthians 1:20) in several different translations. I read the whole chapter in the NIV, NAS, and Message. I don’t like taking verses out of context. I liked The Message best.

At times I have moaned that there seem to be too few “Yes and Amen’s” to my prayers. I think the only context I have ever really seen that phrase is in worship songs, never in context of the chapter, and never the way that the Bishop preached it. Yes and Amen.

The Bishop said something to the affect that Jesus Christ is God’s Yes to the human race. His Yes to all the promises made to mankind through the law and the prophets. And the Amen is our affirmation which we speak back to God. Kind of the way the NIV puts it (above).
Yes, LORD, Yes, LORD, Yes LORD yes!!! Yes and Amen. Sung like sort of magical incantation. If I sing YES and AMEN often enough and loud enough, I’ll get what I want. It’s gotta be, cuz God always keeps His promises.

This means something totally different if we look at Jesus as the fulfillment of those promises. And, if understanding that Jesus is really all we need, we sing Amen back to Him.

What led to this statement by Paul? He had made a promise that due to circumstances beyond his control, he couldn’t keep. In the long run it seemed that breaking this particular promise was in everyone’s best interest. But he was being accused of being untrustworthy. This is the way he responded according to The Message:

“Do you think I talk out of both sides of my mouth--a glib yes one moment, a glib no the next? Well, you're wrong. I try to be as true to my word as God is to his. Our word to you wasn't a careless yes canceled by an indifferent no.”

This makes me wonder about prayer. I’ve heard people say things like, “I prayed and prayed and God just didn’t seem to hear me.” I once said myself that “The Bible says ‘Ask and Ye Shall Receive’ well I asked, and I didn’t receive so the Bible is not true.” Maybe Bible teachers have been somewhat careless with our teaching on prayer. Sort of Glib in how we state the promises that God has made. God is never careless or indifferent. Perhaps we assume too much when we pray. We need to pray God’s heart, but we also need to understand that our ways are not God’s ways. We are urged to reason together with our LORD, always seeking wisdom and understanding, not presuming that we have all the answers.

At least, I can stop looking for “Yes and Amens”. Jesus is my Yes! And to Him I shout a joyful AMEN!