Daily Devotions
Bowing Before Jesus
Title: Bowing Before Jesus
Reading for April 1: 2 Samuel 1-3
Weekly reading for April 1-7: Luke 5-9
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
Luke 5:8
I remember looking up during a prayer one time at church and seeing a boy on the front row who was lying down prostrate with his face to the ground in prayer. The image of that child bowing before his Maker was touching to me.
We see this posture quite often in the gospel of Luke. We see it twice from lepers, one before he was healed (5:12) and the other after he was healed (17:16). We see a demon possessed man (more because of pure fear rather than humility) fall down before Jesus (8:28). A sinful woman wept behind Jesus (and I think the location was significant) wetting Jesus' feet with her tears in order to wash them with her hair (7:38 - and she also kissed His feet). A ruler of the synagogue fell at Jesus' feet in order to beg him to come to heal his daughter (8:41), and Mary sat at the Lord's feet to listen to His teaching (10:39).
A couple of observations:
First, it is noteworthy that Jesus never refused this kind of worship. Unlike Peter (Acts 10:26) and angels (Rev 19:10), Jesus accepted worship.
Second, it is good for us to bow down before Jesus. The placement of our pews might not allow for this at church, but this can be done when we pray in private. I don't suggest this is the only acceptable posture, but I believe that bowing in this way reminds us of the One we're addressing in prayer.
Father, we bow down before you and your Son, declaring your holiness and our unworthiness!
