Bow the Knee

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” – Psalm 95:6

It has been said that one never knows what one has until it is taken away. This really hit home for me when I began to have problems with my knees. Having been overweight for most of my life, my poor hips and knees carried a very heavy burden for decades. Studies have revealed the following facts about knees.

1. Walking on level ground exerts a force equal to 1.5 times your body weight on the knees.
2. Walking on an incline increases the force on each knee to two to three times your body weight (ex: when you go up and down stairs), and four to five times your body weight when you squat to tie a shoelace or pick up an item you dropped.
3. Every pound of weight lost removes 4 pounds of pressure from the knees.
4. Excess fat cells can lead to pain, stiffness, and inflammation in joints aggravating conditions like osteoarthritis.

How did this impact my life? I lost the ability to kneel. The pain I had in my knees was too much for me to bear when I knelt to pray, so I had to change my position of prayer. I understand that one’s posture in prayer is not what is important to the Lord, for He looks upon that which is within us. 1 Samuel 16:7 states, “…for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” God always looks at what is in our hearts, whether in selecting a king for a nation or in being attentive to His children in prayer. However, for me, kneeling is a penitent posture; a physical position of humility. It helps me have a humble mindset when I pray. To no longer be able to kneel at home or at church grieved me greatly, but I assumed that it was my lot in life since I had been obese for so long. I was wrong.

These days, I am a different person physically than I have been for the last few decades. I have lost a considerable amount of weight, and my knees are much happier! I have very little pain in them now since I have removed 308 pounds of pressure off of my knees!

Today, I decided to “test the waters.” In my time of prayer, I very carefully lowered myself to the floor and knelt by my couch. With a bit of apprehension…awaiting the pain that has been my companion for years… I began to pray. Before I knew it, my time with the Lord had concluded, and I realized I was still on my knees… oblivious to how they felt. Why? Because there was no pain!

I cannot tell you how joyful my heart felt at that moment when I realized that kneeling was once again part of my prayer life, and I praise God for the healing He has done in my body. Being able to kneel in prayer meets a need in my life that I have long missed, and now I am so grateful to be able to bow my knee in worship and prayer to my Lord and Saviour.

Kneel at the cross, Christ will meet you there, come while He waits for you
Listen to His voice, leave with Him your cares and begin life anew
 
Kneel at the cross, leave every care
Kneel at the cross, Jesus will meet you there
 
Kneel at the cross, there is room for all, who will his glory share?
Bliss there awaits, harm can nary fall those who are anchored there
 
Kneel at the cross, leave every care
Kneel at the cross, Jesus will meet you there
 
Kneel at the cross, give your idols up, look unto realms above
Turn not away, to life’s sparkling cup, trust only in His love
 
Kneel at the cross, leave every care
Kneel at the cross, Jesus will meet you there

(from “Kneel at the Cross” by William York)

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” – Daniel 6:10

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“When life gets too hard to stand… kneel.” – Gordon B. Hinckley