I’m laying in my hammock ready to take an afternoon nap. As I’m praying in my hammock, struggling to stay focused and hear the Lord’s voice, I hear a whisper…”get on your knees,” The Lord says.
Reluctantly, I slide out of hammock, turn around, get on my knees and bury my face in the cradle of the hammock.
Perhaps the Lord spoke to me more clearly in that moment. Or maybe I was just able to focus more intently, I can’t remember. But what I do remember is a change in my heart of who I was and who I was praying to.
There are multiple instances throughout the bible where people pray on their knees. Often times it is in desperation. But sometimes it is also just a natural response to the great and wonderful gospel that we know and how amazing our Lord truly is.
Days prior to this particular afternoon, someone very special to me had sent me a verse. It was Ephesians 3:14-21. Obviously, I read it at the time. However, I quickly forgot about it.
After praying on my knees, I searched for scripture about praying on your knees. I found this one and quickly realized that it had been sent to me days before.
Paul says, 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Paul wasn’t the only one who prayed on his knees. Jesus went to the garden and prayed on his knees for his father to “take this cup from me.” The apostle James was actually nicknamed James, the camel knees. Daniel prayed on his knees 3 times a day.
This past month at church, I noticed that everyone immediately got on their knees and prayed after they entered the building. The reason they do this is to thank the Lord (before anything else) for the ability to come into his house and worship him.
Some of the most important times in life are spent on your knees.
Giving your life to Christ.
Proposing to your wife.
Praying over your kids before you tuck them in at night.
Getting down on your knees to pray for someone dear to you who is sick.
In the end it doesn’t matter how you pray. But what does matter is the condition of your heart. There is something to be said for the heart of someone who is willing to humbly submit themselves to prayer on their knees…a place of surrender…a place of submission…a place where sin and temptation can’t practically even reach you.
The Lord continues to show me how much more important it is for us to pray than to actually work towards something. If we spent more time praying, and less time doing, I think we would all be in a much different place in our lives.
