Sometimes Prayer is Knowing Where You Sit
There are many different postures for prayer – kneeling, standing, bowing, lying prostrate or even pacing. I suppose we all have our favorite posture for prayer depending on the situation. But there is something that is so much more important than our physical position in prayer – and that is knowing our spiritual position.
Ephesians 2:6 says, “And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” This tells us very specifically where we are seated, where we are positioned spiritually. We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus! This is so amazing and so empowering!
We are not groping around in the dust and mire of this earth hoping that maybe out there somewhere God just might hear our pitiful little cry for help. No! Our prayer is not a lone and puny voice straining to be heard in the cacophonic chaos of this world. No!
In Christ, we have been raised above the distracting events and the harassing noise of the conditions of the world around us. We are seated in heavenly places where we can see life’s circumstances from an eternal perspective. We are seated in heavenly places where we can be heard by God, the One who is seated on the Throne, when we simply whisper His Name. We are seated in heavenly places where in prayer we can enter a heavenly conversation with God – where we can hear His heart and know His ways as well as pour out our hearts to Him.
When I attended my first Aglow meeting many years ago, someone mistakenly seated me at the head table. I leaned over and asked the president if I should find another seat. She said, “Just sit up straight and act like you belong.” According to God’s Word, we have been seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And that’s no mistake. We really do belong there!
So, when we pray, whether we kneel or stand or bow or walk, we can pray with the confidence and authority of those who are seated in heavenly places.
Thanks for this encouraging word, Nancy. It’s encouraging to know that we’re not paupers asking for a handout from God, but beloved children who hear His voice and as we’re praying in alignment with His will, we can fully expect an answer.
Like the part about not grouping in the dust…
Thank yoy for encouraging word. It’s alway good to hear from you. God has been speaking alignment with his will for awhile. It good confirmation.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!! Thanks for the blog. Very uplifting. Amidst all the attacks against Christianity and Prayer, it is refreshing to be reminded of who He is and who we are in Him.
Dear Nancy,
Your comments about postures of prayer reminded me of a comment made by someone yesterday. A group of believers were gathered in a `chance circumstance’ and later found ourselves in a hospital room praying for a sister in Christ. The husband had run into us at a Sunday morning service at a fellowship over an hour away from our `home’. This couple had been a part of our `home church’ decades before and he asked if we might come pray for Jan. She’d had a stroke on Resurrection Sunday and was alert and responsive but with some `healing yet needed’.
Anyway, this fellow had lunch with us after the service and then we’d proceeded to the hospital. We -a mixed group of four singles- then joined another four (two couples) that `just happened’ to be there to pray for Jan! We sat around her room amidst the flowers and read the Word, sang and anointed her with oil.
Before we left from this sweet time the LORD had orchestrated, we were fellowshipping about changes that the years bring,….etc. The husband looked at me and said, “I appreciated how you prayed at lunch today.” `Huh?’ , I thought. ” You prayed for lunch with your eyes open.”
I was a bit stunned. I made a joking comment that apparently he was concerned that perhaps we were all so hungry we needed to keep our eyes on our food that had just been made ready! Then I said, “Well, I pray while I’m driving – and I guess it’s important to keep one’s eyes open then!” (…..More chuckles).
But your message here made me think. Many of us are in a wide variety of circumstances. This brother was looking for the grace of God in a time of need and found it in some old friends that were in an unexpected place at just the right time. We could share a Sunday meal together and then go to see his dear wife and help shoulder the load of their concern for her complete healing and restoration.
I am usually on my way somewhere. I MUST pray on the go. It is my lifeline. So yes, I DO pray with my eyes open!
Most are called to a particular place of ministry to others in the LORD – be it a workplace, within one’s family, standing in the gap for ministries, peoples and nations.
But like the brother in need, our faith calls us not only to be looking to THE ONE who will hear us. As we pray, we must have our eyes open to see HIS answers.
(*Preaching at myself here today: Thanks Nancy for prompting it!) K.
VERY ENCOURAGING. ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING THINGS ABOUT AGLOW IS EVERYONE IS TREATED EQUAL,THERE IS NO COMPETITION. I ALWAYS LEAVE FEELING AS IF I HAVE JUST HAD COFFEE WITH THE LORD HIMSELF