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Is it really a legitimate excuse for me
to say I do not have to kneel down even when I know that I am capable
of kneeling down? Isn't it just right for me to kneel down to God
when I am praying as a gesture of humbling myself to my Creator,
Provider, Protector and my Salvation? It is very subtle but I see a
danger behind it if we are not kneeling down when we pray. God is
Sovereign and He deserves all honor, praise and worship. It should be
something that we are supposed to be doing automatically if our body
can do it. I think we should kneel down when we pray. I know all of
us are kneeling down when we are praying but how often? This is just
a reminder and a confirmation for us who kneels down every time we
pray.
I understand the reason why Peter said
in 1 Pet 5:5 GNT “In the same way you younger people must submit
yourselves to your elders. And all of you must put on the apron of
humility, to serve one another; for the Scripture says, “ God
resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” In other
translation it says “God is opposed to the proud, but gives
grace to the humble.” This is apparent in Isaiah 55:8-9 NASB
where it says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your
ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than
your thoughts”
We have to humble ourselves to God
since basically we are His servants. God is not a genie we approach
to tell what we want and that’s it. God wants to have a
relationship with us on a personal level. The great thing in prayer
is that when we focus on God- praising, worshipping and honoring Him-
we don't even have to say our needs because God knows what we need.
In Matthew 6:8 “(So do not be like them;) for your Father knows
what you need before you ask Him”. In another part of the Bible it
says “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and
all this things shall be added unto you”. Isn't there a song about
that too?
Also waiting for His response to our
prayer by taking a few minutes of quiet time, just let Him speak to
our heart about His response to our prayer is of great value. It's
training ourself how to listen to Him. I know we have a lot of things
to say to Him but He has a lot of things to say to us too. It’s
supposed to be a communication between us and Jesus Christ. Having a
relationship with the Lord in private is better than having
relationship with Him in public because if we commune with Him in
private He will tell us what to do in public. Just because you are
busy with church activities does not mean you are having a personal
relationship with the Lord. It’s a tough pill to swallow but it’s
the truth. Look at Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Martha was busy
serving Jesus and His disciples while Mary is focused only on Him and
Jesus said this is the one thats necessary.
Jesus hated the legalism and doctrine
of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And because they've got it the
other way around they have made their relationship with God in the
eyes of public but when no one is looking, there’s hardly ever an
actual personal relationship. They wanted to be greeted in the market
places and they wanted to have their special honorable spots in
banquets and places because of what they wear and who they are. The
relationship that they have with the Lord is to please the public and
not the Lord Himself. You will notice it in parables and in the
teaching of the Lord Jesus how personal and secretive our
relationship with God should be. If it wasn't that important, He
would have never mentioned it to us in the Scripture, think about
that. Private personal relationship with the Lord doesn’t mean no
one should know who our God is, it doesn’t mean hiding your
identity in the Lord. It simply means do not boast in public, do not
be a shallow worshipper, and do not give the glory to yourself by
putting yourself in the spotlight. All glory belongs to God alone and
if we should boast, let’s boast of His goodness, always focusing on
Him, who He is and what He’s done for you and me.
In Luke 18; 9-14, “And He also told
this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were
righteous, and viewed others with contempt. “ Two men went up into
the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The
Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You
that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or
even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of
all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance
away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was
beating his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me, the sinner!’
“ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the
other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who
humbles himself will be exalted.” It's very clear how the Lord
points out in the parable how God resists the proud and gives grace
to the humble as we have read earlier. In essence it is practical and
logical for us to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord when
we are praying.
Also remember when Jesus taught about
how secretive our relationship with the Lord should be? In Matthew 6:
3-6 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret;
and your Father who see what is done in secret will reward you. When
you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to
stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that
they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward
in full. “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close
your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father
who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Clearly the parables and the teachings
of the Lord Jesus tells us to have a personal relationship with God
in a humble way. And that it is not about us anymore. It is not about
what we can do anymore but what Jesus had done for us. If we say and
believe that we are in the revelation time and we are, shouldn’t we
be kneeling down every day when we pray, humbling ourselves to the
Lord? Many unusual things are happening around that are really
shaking us. Isn't that how it was described in Revelation wherein it
says everything God can shake will be shaken? I really think that
kneeling down should be part of our household meetings and monthly
gatherings (bible studies). Let's have the boldness to kneel down
just like how we are progressing in being bold to share the Lord
Jesus Christ and His words to others. Holiness is not about behavior
it is about ownership of the Lord, because we can never ever achieve
to be Holy through our own good works but only through the blood of
Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. If you would allow me to read
Luke 21: 5- 36 it's about the signs and warnings. Not to scare us
just to give us right perspective. Facts can be sometimes false but
our reality is the reality of His words.
