Is anybody here who is into praying on your knees?

[xdisciplex]

Where exactly is the sense of this? I mean some christians seem to like praying on your knees and they even seem to like it when it hurts their knees. Isn't this a bit strange? Once I read a book from a christian who said that he spent a lot of time praying on his knees on the hard concrete and somehow he said it in a way which gave me the impression that he felt like praying and your knees and accepting pain makes your prayers more effective. I think this is really disturbing.
I mean if praying on my knees hurts my knees and it's also not good for the blood flow in the legs and can even cause a thrombosis if you remain in this position for a too long time, then why should I do it? I think this is perverse.
This looks like God wants us to experience pain and this makes our prayers more effective. I think this is religiousity in its worst form. Where is the difference between praying on your knees and accepting pain and beating your back with a whip?
Recently I came a long a site of a christian bookstore and they were selling some kind of wooden seat which allows you to pray in a kneeling position without cutting off the blood flow and without knee pain. When I saw this wooden "thing" I was totally repelled by it. I think that this is somehow perverse and totally religious as if God was all about praying on your knees. What's your stance on this? I really see no justification for this. Sure, you can sometimes simply get on your knees before God but praying on your knees when it hurts your knees is simply sick.

 

[TaterTot]

for me, its an act of humilty. There is no special equation to have a more spiritual prayer, but I personally like to kneel at times, especially when I am more burdened than other times.

 

[Brother Bob]

Do you bow your head when you pray?

 

[Ps104_33]

I think that it depends on the seriousness of the situation. Normally I dont pray on my knees but there was a time in my life when I got a phone call from the police around 3:00 in the morning when God drove me to my knees in serious prayer. So Mr X-disciple, your post is callous.

 

[SBCPreacher]

At the beginning of each Sunday Morning Worship service, I invite all the men who can to join me at the altar, on our knees before Alimighty God in prayer. Many do, but not all, and that's OK. Many of the men think that what we're praying about - a powerful moving of God's Holy Spirit - that it's worth the extra trouble.

But, if you don't like the idea of praying on your knees, then don't. But, be sure to pray - on your knees or not.

 

[mcdirector]

There is a humbling in getting on my knees. I don't do it all the time, but I do it.

 

[PastorSBC1303]

There are times when it just feels that the act of kneeling before an Almighty God is the only proper response. I enjoy praying on my knees. I enjoy praying standing up. I enjoy praying sitting down. The position of the heart is what is truly important.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Xdisciplex: Sure, you can sometimes simply get on your knees before God but praying on your knees when it hurts your knees is simply sick.

I suppose you might feel that if you have tennis elbow or have a hard time standing due to arthritis, that standing at attention and snapping a salute or standing while holding your hand over your heart during a flag salute is sick as well? Just wondering.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I do not believe that you have to get on your knees to pray nor for you prayers to be more affective.

For people who "feel" like they should or "feel" closer to God, then that's fine......if they are doing so in order to maintain a humility or closeness that they can't "experience" otherwise. But if they are trying to make callouses on their knees as a trophy of that speaks of their humility....then they are not humble at all, they are vain, boastful, and proud.

That reminds me too much of Islam, where men are proud of the callouses on their foreheads from praying to Allah five times a day.

And the bible nevers speaks of a prayer seat, but a prayer closet. My mind can think of two places in gospels where prayer is talked about. Matthew 6 speaks about how to pray. The emphasis in on privateness, simplicity, humility, and not making a showy production of it. Luke 18 talks about praying with complacency and moral superiority versus praying with fear and reverence.

On your knees or not, your prayers can be hindered by unconfessed sin and ill-treatment of loved ones.

On your knees or not, your prayers can avail much to the kingdom of God and change your life.

For me, lowering my head and closing my eyes is how I humble myself before God. And the tighter I close my eyes, the more humble I "feel". It's like I'm putting a barrier between holy God and sinful me. That probably doesn't make any sense, but it how I "feel" more humble.

On your knees is fine, sitting is fine, lying down is fine, standing on a bus is fine as long as you keep yourself in a spirit of prayer and in humility.

 

[Brother Bob]

10: And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
11: Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.
12: And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
13: And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
14: Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

We always pray on our knees at church and even at the hospitals, nursing homes etc. Those who are not able to get on their

knees which I am getting closer and closer we have not problem with whatsoever.

If someone don't want to get on their knees it is perfectly alright with us but to say that getting on your knees to pray is

"simply sick" is much much worse than standing or getting on your knees to pray. Sounds like a little knee praying might do

you some good.

Luke 18:
11: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,

adulterers, or even as this publican.

12: I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

13: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,

God be merciful to me a sinner.

14: I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be

abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Xdisciplex: Sure, you can sometimes simply get on your knees before God but praying on your knees when it hurts your knees is simply sick.

HP: How about a man with painful arthritis in his knees that has to work on his knees? Would that be sick to you as well? How about seeing a man with hands that are twisted from painful arthritis having to do manual labor with them daily? Would you see that as being simply 'sick?'

Possibly we might not be understanding just what you mean by the word ‘sick.’

 

[Scarlett O.]

I think some of you have misunderstood xd.

He is talking about this particular belief that says physical suffering is a requirement to show devotion to God. Like those monks who still to this day beat their own backs bloody. Or those people (forgive me for not remembering the specific city in Italy) who to this day climb many steps on their knees to the point where they are bloodied and bruised just to kiss an iconic painting at the top of the steps. They claim to show reverence to God by torturing themselves and kissing icons.

There are some people who believe that bowing on the knee to the point of giving yourself excruciating pain and callouses is important.

I'm in agreement that bowing the knee is biblical and shows humility. But everyone should be careful not to imply that praying on one's knees is superior to not bowing.

 

[mcdirector]

I agree with Scarlett that we don't have to be on our knees to pray -- but there have been times that I have fallen to my knees to pray. There have been times I've fallen on my face to pray. Times of anquish, despair, urgency.

And I can't help but think of Daniel -- old Camel Knees himself. I bet his hurt from time to time.

 

[Brother Bob]

No one is saying it is superior and I think he did mean it was "sick" to get on your knees to pray. I don't think we misunderstood at all. If so, this is his chance to say so.
We always pray on our knees at church, both brothers and sisters, and I take offense to anyone saying it is "simply sick".

 

[Scarlett O.]

Alright, Brother Bob, perhaps I misunderstood him. :flower: I won't speak for him again, here.

Bitsy, you gave me a laugh..."Old Camel Knees"....:laugh: :laugh:

 

[Jim1999]

It is biblical to pray...standing, sitting, lying down, backwards.....oh, yes, kneeling.........but throughout scripture all of those postures were employed. It is not the posture, it is the heart.

I pray walking about in my study with my eyes open. I sometimes have kneeled, but it takes longer to get back up.

Again, the important thing is to pray.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Brother Bob]

It is biblical to pray...standing, sitting, lying down, backwards.....oh, yes, kneeling.........but throughout scripture all of those postures were employed. It is not the posture, it is the heart.

I pray walking about in my study with my eyes open. I sometimes have kneeled, but it takes longer to get back up.

Again, the important thing is to pray.

Cheers,

Jim

Either one is alright with me as long as you don't infringe on how I pray.

 

[Jim1999]

I preached in a few German Baptist Churches in Alberta, and they always prayed standing up. They never kneeled.

I wonder if this is where the starter, x-disciple, is coming from? He is in Germany. I don't think he meant any offence at all...my opinion.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Brother Bob]

I preached in a few German Baptist Churches in Alberta, and they always prayed standing up. They never kneeled.

I wonder if this is where the starter, x-disciple, is coming from? He is in Germany. I don't think he meant any offence at all...my opinion.

Cheers,

Jim
__________________

Really? Wonder what was the purpose in calling it "simply sick" for he did know of people who do pray on their knees and yet condemned them, saying they were "sick", maybe you have an answer for that. We Old Baptist all pray on our knees here in Applachian if we are able and we don't mean to be an offense to anyone and neither do we take kindly to being called "simply sick" or for any who says its ok to do that.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Jim1999: It is not the posture, it is the heart.

HP: I am not trying to be hard on Jim here at all. I think I understand him. Just the same, may I take a slight exception?

If one takes a class on communication, one might learn that we send messages to others by our posture. Even the way we hold our arms when speaking to others may indeed send a message. For instance, I have heard that if you desire to communicate a spirit of receptiveness, you should not fold your arms over one another when facing the one you are speaking to, as it sends a message of being closed minded or unwilling to budge. There are many more I am sure.

We often hear that it is not our dress that matters but our heart, yet every company in the world understands the importance of appearance and the message it so often sends to clients.

Although I am in agreement that there is no set prescribed posture to prayer, and neither is there any prescribed clothing, I am not convinced that it is not important, or that cannot, at least in some instances, convey a message as to our attitudes.

I believe it to be recognized universally the spirit of humility kneeling in prayer conveys, heathen and Christian cultures alike. I cannot conceive of how this could be seen as offensive or ‘sick’ by anyone, especially a Christian that loves the Lord and has respect for God and his brother or sister in the Lord.

Lead on Brother Bob.