Kneel To Draw Near!

December 30, 2021

Kneel To Draw Near!

Although Christmas is past, there are many who may still be longing to draw nearer to God. 

Maybe it was a Christmas Carol at a Christmas Eve candlelight service or a rather nice dinner with family on Christmas day or a scene in a movie that touched your heart.  Whatever it was, it awakened something deep inside of you; a desire for more of Jesus.

There is still time!

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I have suggested some physical postures that can help us prepare to draw near to Jesus.  We can lie down, we can sit down, we can bow down, and we can take a walk. 

In the Bible and in the traditions of the Christian Church, we see the effectiveness of using different postures to draw near to the Lord.  Matthew describes another posture.  While the Son of God is still a child, there are three wise men who come to visit the family in Bethlehem.

In Matthew 2:11 we hear; “When the men (the three wise men) went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him.  They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to him.”

Three men from East of Bethlehem expend great energy and invest much time so they can draw near to the Son of God.  As they come into the Savior’s presence, they kneel as they would kneel before a king.  They knew that Jesus was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Sometimes we just need to get down on our knees.  There was a time when parents taught their children to kneel beside their bed while saying their bed-time prayers.  Many adults still kneel when they pray.  I encourage people to kneel for prayer when they receive Holy Communion.

In Psalm 95:6 we hear; “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”

While kneeling down, three wise men experience what it means to be in the presence of the Son of God.  They are surrounded by the light of His amazing love, they are awed by His awesome power, and their hearts are filled with His incredible joy.  It was a holy moment. 

Sometimes I wonder if the holy moment for which you are longing will come when you kneel down for a while.  Like three wise men, surrendered to what God wants to do.  Like three wise men, in awe of who God is.  Like three wise men, in wonder of why God is drawing near to you.

During these weeks following Christmas, I invite you to kneel down and draw near to Jesus.  Be still.  Be quiet.  Be open.  Like David said long ago; “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”

When we draw near to Jesus, our heart will be filled with delight; a delight not unlike the wise men’s delight when they were kneeling before the King of Kings.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug