Position While Praying

Question

Does it matter if I kneel to pray?

Answer

This is a good question and could be expanded to "Does it matter what position I am physically in when I pray?". Please consider the following:

• Nehemiah stood and prayed in front of King Artaxerxes... Nehemiah 2:1-4
• Daniel knelt and prayed in his room... Daniel 6:10
• Abram talked with God while he was flat on his face... Genesis 17:3
• Paul and the Ephesian believers knelt and prayed... Acts 20:36

When it comes down to it, it does not matter what body position you are in, it matters what position your mind is in.

You should be humble and sincere before God - "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Ephesians 6:18).

The prophet Daniel is a good example of a man of prayer. Daniel desired to know the interpretation of the 70 week prophecy, and so prayed and fasted until the answer came (Daniel 10:1-3, 12-14). Daniel also prayed concerning the release of his nation from captivity and studied his Bible concerning the prophecies God gave about it (Daniel 9:1-4, 21-23).

There are many examples of personal prayer and public prayers (i.e.: prayers made on behalf of a congregation) in the Scriptures that we could use as patterns for ourselves. Here are a few examples:

• Public - 1 Kings 8:23-54; Acts 1:24-25; Acts 4:24-31
  
• Personal - 2 Kings 19:14-19; 2 Kings 20:2-3; Daniel 9:4-21

Of course, our ultimate example is Jesus Christ, who was often praying to his Father. The longest prayer of Jesus that is recorded is in John 17. He also gave the disciples the ultimate pattern prayer (i.e.: "after this manner...") which is recorded for us in Matthew 6:9-13 and in Luke 11:2-4.

Written by Matthew Smith