Part III
We have looked at the need to prepare our attitudes and our hearts to meet with God. Today we are going to look at our posture. Many of us were taught to say our prayers at bedtime when we were children. I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people who fall asleep almost as soon as my sleepy head hits the pillow. I’m sure I was no different as a child. I can only imagine those mumbled, as-fast-as-I-can-recite-them prayers I uttered as a child. The unfortunate thing about this is the practice carries through to adulthood. We jump out of bed in the mornings and hurry, hurry, hurry to shower and get out the door. We fight rush hour traffic, we work at a nearly frantic pace throughout the day, run errands after work, rush through our evening meals, and only at bedtime do we make time to utter a prayer. And our patient, merciful God longs for and deserves so much more from us! We should be alert, hydrated, and focused when we approach Him.
Prepare your body to face the Holy One. Our prayers should not be rushed and last minute. If we want to pray powerful prayers, we must prepare our bodies ahead of time. For me, this means getting up early and making time before I begin the events of the day. I know that some of you might say: “I can’t get up any earlier!” It takes discipline and practice until it becomes a habit. Perhaps you might need to set an alarm. I have a very vocal cat who wakes me up early, anyway, so I don’t need to set an alarm! But, I can tell you from experience, that once you begin to get up early, not only will you find you can do it without an alarm, but also you will find that praying during the peaceful morning hours will be a joy!
Nothing quite compares to the glory of the early morning sunrise, the jubilant birdsong, the proud crowing of a rooster, and the promise of a new day. Maybe that is why Jesus rose early to pray. Multiple scriptures indicate that Jesus not only sought privacy, but also practiced early morning prayers. “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” (Mark 1:35)
King David also practiced morning prayers: “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning, for in thee do I trust…” (Psalm 143:8) and “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.” (Psalm 119:147).
Of course, Jesus did not limit His prayers to the early morning hours. At Gethsemane, He prayed throughout the night. And he often slipped away from the crowds to pray. Jesus prayed throughout the day, but I believe that the early morning time is special. There is something awe-inspiring about the dawning of a new day, along with the added benefit of being rested and preparing for the day ahead before worldly distractions interfere. So, we have a good example to follow by practicing early morning prayers as well as prayers throughout the day or night.
Whenever we go to God in prayer, it’s also important to remember that an audience with God is a gift and a privilege. We honor Him by preparing for it. While the time of day is something to consider, so is our posture when we approach God in prayer. Do you bow your head when you pray? No one would ever consider approaching the Queen without a bow or a curtsy, for they are signs of respect for her authority. Likewise, bowing your head before God is a sign of respect for HIS authority, and how much greater is His authority than the Queen’s! Do you get down on your knees when you pray? Psalm 95:6 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” Daniel, known for his powerful prayers, is described this way: “He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” (Daniel 6:10) Ezra, also, “fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God..” (Ezra 9:5). Jesus not only prayed on His knees, “And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed,” (Luke 22:41), but also fell on His face, “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39), as did Joshua, “And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped,” (Joshua 5:14), and Ezekiel, when he saw the glory of the Lord, said, “And when I saw it, I fell on my face…” (Ezekiel 1:28). How much more should we practice the right posture before God Almighty?
Finally, Jesus taught the crowds in the Sermon on the Mount about the need to pray in private. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus admonished the crowds not to pray as the “hypocrites” do. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matt. 6:6) Not only is the closet a great idea, providing privacy and quiet, but it is also dark and away from the busiest parts of the house. The closet is a perfect place to pray. A. W. Tozer spoke of sneaking away to the basement near the furnace to read, study, meditate, and pray. He also kept a notebook where he recorded his answers to prayer. (See the Tozer classic, In Pursuit of God, p. 119) We would do well to follow these examples.
From Peggy's Pen 