Must we kneel in prayer?

The tradition of kneeling as we pray is a way of putting our bodies in a supplicating position, honouring the Most Powerful, Most High, Most Loving and Best Promise Keeper. But do we always have to kneel when we pray? There is biblical tradition behind kneeling, of course. Take the words of the Psalm, “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” (Psalm 95:6). In the Gospel of Luke, we observe how Yeshua on the night before His Crucifixion, went up to the Mount of Olives with the disciples, withdrew from them and knelt down and prayed (Luke 22:41) If Yeshua knelt, that’s surely good enough for us. Except as I look at the biblical sources -- and mostly in the Gospels -- I keep seeing other options. Yeshua stood and prayed when He blessed the loaves and the fishes and handed them to the disciples. And when He welcomed the children, saying, “Let the little children come to me,” He laid His hands on all of them, blessing them. Clearly standing. Take the disciples at the Last Supper. As they gathered in the upper room, seeing Yeshua bless and break a loaf of bread and say, “Take, eat; this is My Body,” they were sitting at the table (possibly lying next to it as was the ancient custom). At any rate, not kneeling. I think all of this should remind us to pray in whatever way is appropriate for the moment. Putting yourself physically into a position that goes with the prayer --- like Jesus on the Mount of Olives. Or other situations:

Sitting next to a sick person’s bed: --- I too have sat next to sick people’s beds, praying out loud, not even knowing if my words are heard. But the closeness of whom I’m praying for adds to the power. And how grateful sometimes are the sick to hear such prayers.

Stand, walk or dancing in prayer: --- We are large prayer groups sometimes and serving ourselves in open kitchen, next to a swimming pool or barbeque or doing a prayer walk. Some were ready to eat, some were still filling up their plates, some look after the barbeque or some are jumping, dancing and walking. We all sing praises when a prayer is said out loud and we confirm words being said and when we stand we only bow our heads. Everything we do is done prayerfully.

Lying down: --- There are times I simply want to take in as much as possible the world YHVH gave us. l lie on my back outside, gazing up at the heavens, filled with wonder. Then at night as I fall asleep lying in bed, I will picture Father smiling at me.

Raising your hands: --- When the Spirit moves us in a service, indeed we raise our hands. We reach up to the heavens. “So I will bless You as long as I live,” says Psalm 63:4, “I will lift up my hands and call on Your Name.” More poignantly, you might be reaching out your hands in an expression of need and desperation, your body mirroring your prayer. “I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land” (Psalm 143:6). God made us, body and soul. And when you can, use your body in a way that amplifies a prayer.

Amein?