“When your knees knock, kneel on them.” ~ Unknown
Why is it essential to pray on your knees for some and not others? How often should we pray on our knees? Does it matter if we pray on our knees? These are fair questions to ask. Kneeling in prayer is symbolic; it represents humility, respect, surrender, willingness, etc., when praying to a power greater than ourselves. Posture, kneeling, and, most importantly, attitude and understanding are critical elements in prayer for many religions and should be for anyone in the presence of God.
Religions like Islam, Hinduism, Catholicism, Anglicans, Protestants all incorporate kneeling at certain times while in prayer, although it has varied from generation and context. Judaism rarely kneels while praying because of Christianity, especially during the first century. The proof text is Philippians 2:10-11 (NIV): “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
What does God expect from people of faith? We must pray with faith, believing that we are in the presence of a power greater than ourselves. Throughout history, with the primary reference being scripture, there is particular emphasis placed on bowing, kneeling, standing, sitting, singing, and walking while in prayer. While reverence and posture are essential, the most significant thing isn’t the position of our posture but our soul’s condition. When we are rightly related to God, we can pray in any way possible. God wants to hear from God’s children. When we hear from our friends and family, do we care what posture they are taking while speaking to us? No, we are merely excited to hear from them.
If your knees are strong and your attitude and heart in the right place, kneeling before God can help center your soul and remind you of who is large and in charge. Praying on your knees helps the practice of humility. One old trick is to put your shoes or keys under your bed; that way, you are forced to get on your knees in the morning. Learning to pray on your knees with your spouse and family is a powerful expression of commitment and humility; as they say, “families that pray together stay together.” Praying on your knees when turning your will and life over to the care of God for the first time was meaningful and powerful, so if it were so expressive and influential the first time you practiced it, wouldn’t continuing the practice be just as significant and influential? Hmmm, there is something to consider.
Lord, thank You for allowing me to communicate directly with You through prayer and meditation. You created humankind to be in a relationship with You. Please don’t allow me to get hung up on my posture, but rather focus my attention toward You with the proper attitude and conditioning of my heart. If there is a particular posture that brings me closer to You, please remove any hindrances that block me from taking that posture, and grant me the willingness to acknowledge You the way you see fit. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will always materialize, now and forever. Amen.
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