ON MY KNEES
Prayer: Lord, may we find ourselves on our knees in prayer daily.
Scripture: Come, let us bow down and worship him. Let us fall on our knees in front of the Lord our Maker. Psalm 95:6 NIV
According to my sports medicine doctor the cartilage in your knee is the thickest cartilage in the human body. Some of the most unexpected conversations spark a devotional, this time it was because my doctor started our conversation with, “This is how God made you.” I added that it was probably because He intended us to spend a lot of time on our knees in prayer. He liked that conclusion. Of course I had to come home and back up this information and indeed I did in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases journal and Gray’s Anatomy. In medical terms, the “cartilage” is actually known as the meniscus. The meniscus has several functions which include; stability, lubrication and nutrition, and shock absorption.
Now before you start wondering why you are getting an anatomy lesson today let’s pull this together. Time in prayer humbled on our knees can be connected to these same functions.
Stability – in the chaos of our lives with shifting circumstances, moods, responsibilities, and schedules, time with God provided the stability we need to stand firm, press on and not fall into one of Satan’s traps.
Lubrication and nutrition – So many people are concerned with what they put into their earthly bodies but do not stop to consider the soul. Fasting from food is a wonderful expression of dependence on God but we should never fast from Him or His Word. He is the Bread of Life (John 6). Oil, especially olive oil was used in many offerings, anointing and as a sign of gladness. The original Hebrew word is Nazar which means dedicated or devoted. Humbled prayer on our knees sets us apart from evil and devotes us to God’s will. It dedicates our days, our thoughts and our actions to Him acting as a lubricant for any friction that might come our way.
Shock absorption – Has anything ever caught you by surprise? Have you ever said, “I never expected that!” Rest assured God has never said those words. He always knows what is coming but we do not. Prayer cushions us for the unexpected. It puts us in a place of peace that God is in charge and our “Helper” the Holy Spirit will direct us if we are willing. A shocking development in our lives is absorbed through faith that comes from spending time with God on our knees.
The month of March is very challenging for most of you. March can bring state testing and possibly other tests as well. For many of you winter is long and cold, indoor recess is no recess for you. Your spring break may not be until April and the rest from Christmas break is a faint memory.
My prayer for you is that you would put your meniscus (knee cartilage) to use.
Copyright Kathy Branzell. Email [email protected]