"Could not stat resume device file"

[Ken Heard <ken@heard.name>]

When I boot up any box with encryption activated for a partition in it, 
the following message is received at the beginning of the boot process, 
or soon thereafter:

      Begin:       Running /scripts//local-premount ...
      resume:  libgcrypt  Version 1.2.3
      resume:  Could not stat the resume device file
      resume:  Please type in the file name and try again
                         or press Enter to boot the system

    Questions: What does "stat" mean?  Why does the process stop this 
way and then has to be restarted?

Ken Heard