Knees

“Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Psalm 139:2-4

After hearing all the stories, and praying for so many of my friends and family that dealt with knee replacements over the past couple of years, being able to bend their knees (before and after surgery) without pain or stiffness must have presented a huge challenge, taking weeks and months of physical therapy.   We take for granted the many times we find it necessary during our day to bend our knees.   As we age or have had an injury at any point, it can be more than uncomfortable, whether it’s picking something off the floor that you’ve already dropped more than once, trying to recover by doing physical therapy, or simply being still in prayer during worship, our knees play an important role in our overall quality of movement.

Maybe you have even experienced such an event or rehabilitation process.  Looking around me during church, especially the ability to kneel during Mass is not as easy a task as in earlier days.  I notice, myself included, not being able to kneel for as long, and repositioning them occasionally for comfort, especially during prayers and the consecration.  But, bending our knees for Jesus should be more than a physical exercise that we perform, whatever our age or condition.  It really needs to begin in both our minds and our hearts.  It’s putting ourselves in a form of reverence for why we are bending our knees.  It takes us to a place, whether we’re not completely on bended knees, of holiness and love, in the presence of Jesus Christ. 

When I am on my knees in prayer, the world can seem to just disappear and its only Jesus and me.  Nothing else seems to matter at the time.  Kneeling before Jesus, whatever our physical position, if our desire is to be on bended knee, He knows it.   You and I are on bended knee when we sit in His presence.  We are on bended knee when we look for Jesus’ help when maybe dealing with our day, if only to say a quick prayer or just speak His name in reverence.  The scripture says, “Lord, you have probed me, you know me; you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar,” (Psalm 139:2) means when you pray, it doesn’t matter if we’re not physically able to kneel before Him.  Jesus knows our heart and desire through and through.

So, if you are able to physically kneel before God, I hope you will continue to be in communion with Him; but even if we are not able, kneel in love and reverence, as you pray and honor Him, with your whole heart, your whole mind and your soul.  He is still there with you on bended or unbended knee.

I pray Lord that you always know my heart when I “kneel” in your presence.  I pray that you know my gratitude for all you have done for me, even when I think my prayers remain unanswered, and understand you only have plans for my good.  I am always on bended knee in my love for you.  Amen