Is kneeling a must?

Is kneeling a must?-free important bible question and answer download

Is kneeling a must?

 

When we pray, God looks at our hearts rather than the physical postures we assume (Mt 15:7-9). But both in the Old Testament and the New we find physical postures as expressions of inner attitude. Of all the postures, kneeling in prayer is the commonest because it is a gesture of reverence and obedience.

 

King Solomon offered his historic prayer of dedication of the temple on his knees. Though he was a monarch, he did not feel shy to kneel down in the presence of all the congregation (1 Ki 8:54; 2 Chr 6:13). Ezra confessed the sins of God’s people in the kneeling posture (Ezr 9:5; 10:1). Daniel was the chief administrator in Babylon but he never abandoned his childhood habit of kneeling in prayer. In fact he did it three times daily (Dan 6:10).

 

Our Lord Jesus was habituated to kneel in prayer. Even while agonizing in the Garden of Gethsemane, "He knelt down and prayed" (Lk 22:41). The disciples sat down and slept! It is difficult to fall asleep when we kneel straight! The pew cushion is a meaningless invention. When folks came to Jesus for help and healing, they knelt down before Him (Mt 17:14; Mk 1:40). Stephen died on knees praying (Acts 7:60). Peter offered the resurrection prayer for Dorcas on knees (Acts 9:40). Kneeling was a favourite posture for Paul also. Even in the seashore he knelt down and prayed (Acts 20:36; 21:5). To the Ephesian church he wrote, "I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph 3:14).

 

We have a sure word of prophecy that every knee shall bow before our Lord (Rom 14:11; Phil 2:10). It is wrong to spiritualize this passage. If we spiritualize the words "every knee shall bow," what about the words "every tongue shall confess?" Let’s also not dismiss the habit of kneeling as merely cultural.

 

In the renewal of worship everywhere, we are repeatedly told by the song leaders to lift up our hands in praise. It is good and scriptural. But let us not forget that the most famous worship Psalm calls us: "Let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker" (Psa 95:6). This will bring back the reverential fear that’s sadly missing in many praise gatherings. "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Psa 2:11).

 

Back to our knees!