Kneeling Before God is a Spiritual Strength
There is just no way for humankind to ever grasp the infinite nature of God. He is so vast and multi-faceted and ancient, yet omni-present, omniscient, Omnipotent… I could go on! To be part of anything that God is doing is a tremendous honor for His people. In the Bible, our dwelling place, the earth that He created, is often referred to as the “footstool” of the Lord. This is not an image of subservience, but of a place of rest for our Lord. We, His people, were created to be a place where the Lord could “put His feet up” – so to speak!
In Isaiah 66:1-2 the Lord spoke saying, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is the house that you could build for Me? And where is the place of My rest. For My hand made all those things, thus all those things have come to be, says the Lord.” In Matthew 5:34-35 Jesus said, “But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is Godβs throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.”
Face Down at the Footstool
“Worship at His footstool,” the Psalmist wrote, in Psalm 99:5. There, “exalt the Lord”. You know, in order to be at someone’s feet, you have to bring yourself very low, to the ground. However, God doesn’t want to see us grovel with our faces in the dirt. He wants us to worship Him and He is gracious enough to put His feet off the ground, poetically speaking, on a “footstool” so we aren’t in a position of groveling, but instead one of kneeling. Still in a lowered place, we kneel before Him, but not as a slave, but as a servant! Wow!
A submitted heart has no problem expressing that submission, anytime, anywhere, no matter who is watching because worship is about Him, not us.
~Alicia Purdy
“The earth belongs to the Lord, and its fullness,” David wrote in Psalm 24:1. “The world, and those who dwell in it.” God doesn’t owe us anything. He gave everything, including His own Son so that He could be closer to us. One of the most powerful things we can do in response to His love is to worship Him here on earth, to “worship at His footstool” and “exalt Him” here on earth, to invite Him in and to make a place in our hearts where He would be comfortable.
Psalm 132: 6-9 says, “We heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. ‘We will go to His dwelling place, we will worship at His footstool.’ Arise, O Lord, go to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your godly ones shout for joy.” The people of God, even from ancient times, have desired to create an atmosphere where the Lord can “rest”, a place of holiness where He is comfortable. Now, because of Jesus Christ, that is YOU!
Thought for today
If you struggle to worship God here, on earth, in front of your family and friends and co-workers and random people on the street, if necessary, that is very telling of a heart condition. A submitted heart has no problem expressing that submission, anytime, anywhere, no matter who is watching because worship is about Him, not us. We bow first with the the heart, and then with the knee, as every good servant would do. If you’re on your face at the footstool, worshipping Him here in your life on earth, among all the other things you do every day, making time and room for the Lord, He is faithful to respond in kind. Exalt the Lord today because He is worthy. Make space for Him in your heart and then find a place to kneel before Him and humble yourself in an act of submission. Kneel anywhere! Try something new and different in your worship today for Him. Kneel down to where His feet are and love all over Him! <3
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