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| Is kneeling important to you during worship? |
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2:8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 2:11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
At the church I grew up in (Episcopal), kneeling was an active part of our service. We kneeled to pray, we sat to listen and learn, and we stood for praise and singing. At the church that I attend now, we rarely kneel, and I must say that I do miss it. Although I don’t think kneeling is necessary to pray or become humble before our Lord, I think it can be a wonderful way of showing our respect and gratitude to God.
I think that kneeling can become something we don’t regard as special when it is used all the time. It becomes more of a habit or routine than a form of honor to our Lord. Our church has knelt on two occasions that I can remember. One was a special call to prayer, where we kneeled in our pews (without kneeling pads, which was difficult for some to do). Another time was at Easter, and people came up to the cross during the singing of a song, and knelt on the steps to the stage, and also knelt where they were if they could not make it to the stage. Both times were very touching to me. I felt the Holy Spirit moving among the people as we prayed. Used in that context, at special times, I think it has much more meaning than if it is used all the time and becomes a habit. I don’t kneel to pray all the time, but there have been times I have. I feel that I can pray to God wherever and whenever I need to, and I do often through the day. But there are times, perhaps when I feel more tired or broken than others, that I feel the need to kneel before the Lord, perhaps just because of my weariness and brokenness. I think the Lord accepts my prayers either way, but kneeling just helps me to focus on Him. Sometimes I just kneel in prayer, and listen for what God might be trying to tell me. Again, it helps me to focus.
Some people might not be comfortable with kneeling, either because of physical reasons, or because it is just something they have never done. I know since I was raised in a church where kneeling was a definite part of the service, it seems like second nature to me. I forget that there are some who have grown up in the church without kneeling.
Is kneeling an important thing to you during worship? Does your church do it on a regular basis, or just once in a while? Do you kneel in prayer when not in church?
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| To add a comment to "Is kneeling important to you during worship?" |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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Is kneeling an important thing to you during worship?
===>Only if it is important to God. There are times when many of us will kneel and worship...and from time to time, I do it to help me humble myself.
Does your church do it on a regular basis, or just once in a while?
===>Never as something organized. Just as God leads. I would say it is very regular, though, but not always the same people. It is certainly not rare, by any means.
Do you kneel in prayer when not in church?
===>Sometimes I do, but not usually. Like I mentioned above, if I have to kneel to get my heart right, I do. |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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I was brought up a Roman Catholic where kneeling was done automatically and without thinking too much.
I now belong to a different type of church where you can do what you feel. Some kneel, Some lie prostrate and some dance in front of the Lord. We all worship our own way and feel the Holy Spirit is often there.
It is like praying....I prefer words to come from my heart but sometimes use conventional words and think deeply about them.
I think you should do what you feel and not condemn others who worship differenlty, God Loves us all! |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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DC, very good insight. It is apparent that you kneel when felt led to do so. That is how it should be. Thanks for commenting!
Vespasian, I agree that everyone worships differently. If you feel led to kneel, lie down, dance, and it is to show God praise, then do it! |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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| When I pray with my kids, I encourage them to assume a "posture of prayer", which sometimes is kneeling, but always is respectful/reverential. The important thing is to realize who we are approaching, in order to determine how we approach Him. Good blog (as usual)! ~mike |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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| Mike, thank you! If we pray with sincerity, it shouldn't matter what position we take...but it is best to be respectful, in whatever way a person feels that should be, i.e. bowing the head, kneeling, lying prostrate. Thanks for your input! |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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I often kneel in worship at church and at home - it is more a matter of the heart than of a religious practice. It brings a release to my petitions and praise. I see it as a personal thing. I'm sure others can be just as effective in prayer without doing it. JayKTX |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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Deb;
I think kneeling is a personal preference and it all depends on how you were brought up for sure. I do not try to follow what everyone else does, I go by how I am led in the Lord to do. I have kneeled in Church and gave Him all the glory and I do that as part of my worship to Him. But it is in my personal relationship with Him. I do not think that everyone needs to do it unless they are led to do so. It is beneficial to me although I do not do it all the time. |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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| I believe it is much more important to have your heart right and humbled before God! The actual position of the physical body during worship does not matter.... it is the position of the heart! Where we go to church... each person worships as they feel to.....I think repeatitive worship or performing certain acts as a ritual is not true worship! They that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth! True worship takes place when we are in awe of all He has done in our lives! He is awesome is He not? |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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JayKTX, I think that is great that you use kneeling as a part of your prayer time. I was just thinking yesterday that when I need to pray a desperate prayer, in this case for a friend of mine, I am more apt to kneel.
Kelly, I think you are right that it is all in how you were brought up. Since I belonged to a church where it was part of the service, I am more accustomed to kneel than some.
Rita, I like the way you put that, "laying down your crown".
Shirley, you are so right. If a person kneels, but their heart is not in it, then it is useless to kneel.
And I agree, we have an AWESOME God!!! |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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There are a lot of things that I miss from the Episcopal church as well Not only kneeling but saying the creeds and certainly the weekly Eucharist which would be a strength for ANY church. Like Joannie Mitchell said, "you don't know what you got til it's gone" |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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| Our church has communion each week, so I don't miss that from the Episcopal church. I do miss saying some of the creeds, and the Lord's Prayer, which were things that were said every week...I can say them on my own, but there is something about saying it with a bunch of other people at the same time that moves me. One thing that I do definitely miss is the church itself...it is an old church, with beautiful stained glass windows that depict scenes from the bible. Definitely something special that not all churches have. There was a sense of awe just being in that church. |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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I do miss having real wine and bread rather than stale crackers and grape juice... Lots of people will not identify with what you are talking about until experiencing it. If you are used to stripped-down worship in warehouses or meeting in ultra deluxe new mega churches that still often lack the Holiness of well-thought out architecture of some of the past churches (very deliberately attempting to be God-honoring), then you will not understand very well what you are saying Deb. I've been in all three circumstances and in each case for numbers of years and much of the modern church does not know the richness and beauty of what more liturgical churches offer and at first would be turned off but eventually would understand. Churches that are scared of having the eucharist each week because it might become "ritualistic" or rather people that say that to me, I always remind that kissing your spouse is also ritualistic. Ritual, or repetition could mean that we get better at something, no? I don't get tired of kissing my spouse, it just gets richer. . . so do the creeds, and communion with proper attitude and understanding of WHAT is happening. One thing that would help very much would be for all Christians to study church history and get to know our legacy as Christians and the richness of it all. The church is alive going back to the time of Christ...they are all still alive. |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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One thing that would help very much would be for all Christians to study church history and get to know our legacy as Christians and the richness of it all. The church is alive going back to the time of Christ...they are all still alive. >>>>>TRUE TRUE!! |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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| I remember Jesus saying that the grand Temple of His day would be torn down! These people had become worshipers of thier PLACE of worship rather than worshipers of God! The beauty and craftmanship of the building and the relics of worship should only be vehicles not objects of worship themselves! I stood in a forrest and worshiped in awe.....I sat by the river and praised.....I looked toward the sky and His majesy spead out across the vast universe.....nothing on earth can compare. So, I understood when Jesus said, No longer in this mountain will you worship, but they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Where ever we are can be a place of worship! |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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| Recon, I second what you and Mike said. It would be wonderful for Christians to study church history. When a person has grown up in one church and never been to another, they don't know what else is out there. Before I met my husband, I had never heard of having grape juice for communion!!!! Only wine! lol I didn't know what being baptized by immersion even meant, because in the Episcopal church, you get sprinkled as a baby, then confirmed later on. It is interesting to hear about all the differences in church practices, and would benefit everyone in the church to learn all they could about other churches and their history. |
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| June 18, 2007 |
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Shirley, I agree that you can let the beauty of the church take the place of the awe that you might feel for the Lord. But if you are in a church like that, and you remember why you are there, it can enhance your worship and make you feel closer to the Lord. It is hard to describe, but much like you can see the beauty of the earth...standing in the forest, sitting by the river, seeing the vast universe, can leave you with a sense of awe at the One who created it all. Man might have built the churches, but God gave him the idea and the creativity and ability. No, we don't need the beautiful buildings to worship God. We can worship Him anywhere, anytime. And no matter where we are, if our heart isn't in the right place, the worship will be meaningless. |
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| June 23, 2007 |
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Deb--I love all your comments and can relate to most of them as having been raised Roman Catholic. I am currently attending a non-denomination church, however they do have weekly communion and are just beginning to say the Creed. They have also recently started a second Sunday evening service that is more close to the orignal church services and has incorporated many of the facets I miss. Now, if I could just be able to get my tired, ill body to cooperate and get me there ... I especially love your comment:
"At the church I grew up in (Episcopal), kneeling was an active part of our service. We kneeled to pray, we sat to listen and learn, and we stood for praise and singing. "
This is such a great way to explain it. I have had others ask why, but had a hard time explaining the reasoning behind it. Now I have a great answer :)
Due to disability, my body no longer does the kneeling thing very well. I do miss it. I now close my eyes and bow in replacement. God, doesn't care, but changing my posture makes ME more focused and reverant.
Recon 77: Your comments could not be more on target! I love the comparison too:
"Churches that are scared of having the eucharist each week because it might become "ritualistic" or rather people that say that to me, I always remind that kissing your spouse is also ritualistic. Ritual, or repetition could mean that we get better at something, no? I don't get tired of kissing my spouse, it just gets richer. . . so do the creeds, and communion with proper attitude and understanding of WHAT is happening.
One thing that would help very much would be for all Christians to study church history and get to know our legacy as Christians and the richness of it all. The church is alive going back to the time of Christ...they are all still alive. "
I feel that the Creed and the Our Father are two of the most powerful prayers that, when said in unison with other followers can bring me to tears. I have attended some churches over the years who hold hands while praying the Our Father. While doing so, I feel so deeply connected to the church family that is praying together to our common Father.
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| June 23, 2007 |
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| hopefaith, I agree with all you said. I especially love holding hands as a group to say prayers, whether it be the Creed of Our Father, just praying while in a group and holding hands brings into focus the power of the Holy Spirit amongst us. Thanks for your comments. |
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