One of our local newspaper columnists wrote an article for our Sunday paper with the title “When in doubt, try taking a knee.” It was a great article about his son’s soccer game.
It seems that in lacrosse, soccer, and some other sports, the boys kneel when another player is injured. Even the opponents do this.
His article was about times in his life when it would be appropriate to “take a knee.” He talked about situations when it just seems appropriate to pause and give thought to the surroundings. He mentioned a butterfly, brothers racing from school, whispering to a child, and feelings he has in worship.
In our Ladies’ Bible Class, we have been studying prayer. I mentioned to the ladies that I remember as a child the men kneeling to pray and how much I miss that. It is just one of those things that sticks in my mind and brings back wonderful memories of men I greatly admired.
Kneeling is a way of showing respect and humility. It shows purposeful submission. That is probably the reason we don’t see much kneeling today. Respect and submission seem to have vanished from our lives.
The Bible gives us many examples of kneeling, all of which show a respect for the Almighty, submission to our heavenly Father, and complete dependence on Him.
In I Kings 8:54, Solomon is pictured arising from kneeling before the altar. He had completed a dedication of the temple, and he prayed to God “on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.”
The wisest man who ever lived knelt before one greater than he to commune with his Father and ask for strength for the people, forgiveness of sins, and to bless God for His continued watchfulness over His people.
In Daniel 6:10, the scripture says that Daniel “kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” It was his habit or practice to do this. Even though the command had been issued that no one was to ask a petition of any God or man except the king for 30 days, Daniel did not change his habit of kneeling and praying to God.
We all know what this practice brought him. It put him in a den of lions for a night; but God provided angels to watch over him, and his life was spared.
In Matthew 17, we see a man with an epileptic son kneeling before Jesus and begging Him to have mercy on his child. Jesus healed the child, and we do not hear anything else about either the boy or the man. It was an act of submission to a man who could save his child’s life.
Mark 1 records the story of a leper who came to Jesus for healing. He knelt before Jesus and asked that Jesus cleanse him. The scripture says, “And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean” (verse 40).
The man showed reverence and respect to Jesus, and Jesus felt compassion toward this man and healed him.
The rich young ruler, a man of wealth and authority, knelt before Jesus in Mark 10:17 as he asked the Lord, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” The Lord offered the young man the opportunity to follow Him, but this rich man could not give us his wealth. He was humbled by Jesus’ knowledge, but he was not committed to serving Him.
Even the Lord Himself knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. His kneeling showed His submission to God the Father. In His present human state, showed respect to His heavenly Father.
When Peter was in Lydda, the disciples from Joppa sent for him. It seems that a woman had died that had served the widows of the community by making clothes for them. They were distraught at her loss, and they wanted Peter to do something. Acts 9:40 says, “Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed.” Of course, Dorcas was healed; and the people spread the news throughout the city.
When Paul was ready to depart for Jerusalem in Acts 21, the scripture says that the people went to the seashore to see him on his way. They brought their wives and children, and they knelt to pray.
Think of all the occasions for kneeling to pray that we have seen. There was a dedication, daily prayer, healing of disease, loss of a loved one, questioning of the condition of a soul, and a parting of friends. Are any of those different that what we need today? All of these situations occur in our lives.
The Psalmist says in Psalm 95:6-7: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”
So, why not take a knee?
Sandra Oliver