POSTURES OF WORSHIP

As Christians, we have the privilege and responsibility of worshiping God above all else in this world. From the following definition, we learn worship should only be rendered to God and God alone.

The KJV Dictionary definition of worship is: “Homage rendered to God which it is sinful (idolatry) to render to any created being.”

 

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”  –Luke 4:8  (NIV)

Jesus instructed us to worship and serve only God in and with our lives modeling this with His short life on earth. Everything Jesus did was to worship and serve God, even being put to death on the cross for you and me.

 

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”  –Isaiah 29:13  (NIV)

Our worship reflects what God finds in our hearts. If we worship God because we feel obligated to, it is not true worship. True worship comes from our hearts full of love and respect for who God is.

 

Have you ever considered the different postures of worship and their significance? It was nothing I thought about much until hearing an interesting sermon recently that made me reflect upon it.

 

 

What is the significance of each posture, what Scripture passages reference them, and how can they help us through the storms of life with our faith?

 

STANDING

When we stand while worshiping the Lord, we get a sense of community or oneness with the Lord, indicating honor and reverence to God. If we worship with our arms outstretched, we express our openness to receiving God’s blessings. We are welcoming Him and His Spirit to fill us with their presence. We are exposing our true selves to God.

A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.  –Matthew 13:2  (NLT)

“And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”  –Luke 21:25-28  (NLT)

Crowds of people came to hear what Jesus had to say as they stood on the seashore. Jesus tells us to stand tall and look up to see the Son of Man even when terrible events are surrounding us. Raise your head and look up!

 

In the storms of life, we can be encouraged when we take time to stand in God’s presence with our hands raised in praise of Him. As we take time to worship, God fills us with His love and peace. We need to be aware of seeing God, His goodness, and beauty in all circumstances.

 

SITTING

When we worship with a posture of sitting, we are most often learning through either listening or the reading of God’s word. We might be observing as well. How important it is to take time to sit, be still, and spend time in the Word or listening to spiritual talks.

She (Martha) had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  —Luke 10:39  (NIV)

From Perga they (Paul and Barnabas) went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”  –Acts 13:14-15  (NIV)

Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, was the perfect example of someone who knew the importance of taking time to sit and listen to Jesus. She did not let the distractions of the world get in the way of sitting at the feet of Jesus. Paul and Barnabas also knew they needed to hear the Word of God so they could share it with others.

 

In the storms of life, we need to take time to sit and read God’s word, meditating on the lessons Jesus shared with His disciples that also apply to our lives. The Word brings us comfort in times of distress.

 

Photo courtesy of AR Nature Gal under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

KNEELING

The posture of kneeling in worship is a respectful and reverent position. It is a prayerful posture often accompanied by the closing of our eyes and sometimes folding our hands. It is one of acknowledging God is overall in heaven and earth.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care…  –Psalm 95:6-7  (NIV)

For this reason I (Paul) kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…  –Ephesians 3:14-17  (NIV)

We confess submission to the Lord by kneeling before Him. When we kneel, it helps us remember God is our Shepherd, who cares for us. God, as the Creator of all, deserves our reverence. Paul recognized the importance of kneeling before God as he was praying in earnest for the people of Ephesus.

 

In the storms of life, taking time to worship the Lord in kneeling, praying for His intercession is vital. It helps us remember God is supreme and works everything out for our good.

 

PROSTRATING

The posture of prostrating oneself in worship to God reflects absolute surrender and humility. I believe it qualifies as the ultimate form of worship. We are willing to submit ourselves totally to God and His perfect will.

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.  –Luke 5:12-13  (NIV)

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  –Matthew 26:36-39  (NIV)

The man with leprosy was ready to surrender his life totally to Jesus. He knew Jesus had the power to heal his leprosy. Jesus knew the leper’s heart was ready to accept Him and His power. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of absolute surrender and humility to God’s will when asking Him one more time if the cup of suffering, death on a cross, could be taken away. He prostrated Himself in surrender to God’s ultimate will!

 

In the storms of life, we might prostrate ourselves being overcome with despair and begging God to answer our prayers favorably. Prostrating ourselves just as Jesus did is a great way to show God that we surrender to His will no matter what. We humble ourselves before our Father.

As a side note, one Good Friday, my Pastor and Deacon prostrated themselves before the cross in humble adoration of Jesus’ sacrifice for each one of us. I, too, wanted to experience that so, one day after services when the church was empty, I prostrated myself under the crucifix. It was a humbling, meaningful time of surrendering my life once again to God and thanking Jesus for dying for my sins.

 

Photo courtesy of Kevin Shorter under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

 

 This week may you take time to reflect on worship in your life.

• Which postures of worship have you engaged in?
• What have you experienced through the different postures?
• Are you encouraged to explore a new posture of worship?
• Which posture has been most powerful in your life?

Feel free to share any of your experiences with postures of worship in the comment section below. I’d love to hear. Thank you in advance.

Lastly, be reminded there are many different postures of worship and there is no one way that is correct. I encourage you to keep worshiping the Lord for He is worthy of our praise!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”  –Hebrews 12:28-29  (NIV)