Get On Your Knees

Paul said to the church at Ephesus: “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.  I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.  You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.  In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’  And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all,” Acts 20:32-36.  

It is a simple lesson: Paul did not covet what the Ephesians had, rather, he lowered his heart and body to provide for those who were weak.  He knelt down.  He got on his spiritual and physical knees to communicate to all his fellowship and shared burden with them.

Prayer… .how beautiful it is when an expression of true intercession.  How beautiful in all its groanings and identifying pains; all of its whispers and loud cries.  Prayer is a ritual of faith; a ritual that faith cannot let go of.  “…pray without ceasing…” 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  The heart of the lowly one, he or she who has made themselves accessible to another’s burden, cannot cease to intercede in words to God.  O Lord, consider this one… O God, hear my prayer for her… O Father, remember his burden… Dear Lord, they are in need…  The intercessor has released concern for his or her own life - they cease to covet - and have taken up the concern for another life - they cannot cease to pray.

Prayer is not the fulfillment of intercession.  It is part.  We speak to both God and humanity in our intercession.  We get on our knees before God in humility and we humble ourselves on our knees before mankind.  On our knees we acknowledge the humility of Christ towards both God and humanity.  We come to where Christ has been… .we come low for God and for humanity’s sake….

On your knees you rest in the position of a Savior.  You agree with His love that acknowledges God’s authority and humanity’s condition.  On your knees you reconcile God and mankind from where they both are at.  Get on your knees.  Read Philippians 2:2-11 and have this kneeling mind in you…