Bow the Knee

 I felt a clear prompting from the Lord on Monday night during worship at camp. I sensed the Lord prompting me to get on my knees before Him and put my head on the ground. I disobeyed. I justified it with reasonings like, there was not enough room in the tightly confined space and I did not want to be a distraction to others. I cared more about what others thought than what my LORD wanted. I disobeyed and the service ended. I forgot all about it. 

That is until I was out walking yesterday afternoon. I felt convicted by my disobedience. I resolved right then and there that I would obey in the Tuesday night worship service. I arrived in the worship center early and moved chairs out from around me so I would have space. The very first song Ross King sang had a phrase in it, "I will bow on my knees." That sealed it. 

I got down on my knees placing my hands in front and resting my head on my hands. I did not sing. I just prayed. In humility. Embracing my insignificance in comparison to His significance. He must increase. I must decrease. I cried out for Him to come to meet with me. To speak to me. To touch me. To fill me. 

I got lost in that moment. I don't know how long I remained there. Though the throng sang around me, I got lost in the moment. Like there was no one else in the room but God and I. Pride surrendered. Submission embraced. 

I have preached for a long time. After several decades, I can say it is a rare thing to see people bow the knee. Not even during invitations. The altar is often barren. Frequented few times and far in between. There are some people who never bow the knee. Admittedly, there are some who physically cannot do it. 

There is a sweet lady in our church who is in her eighties. In a recent service, she came forward with the assistance of her daughter to pray at the altar. She had to be helped down and helped back up. How convicting. This lady loves Jesus so much hardly a Sunday goes by, when she is able to be in attendance, that she does not come forward to pray at the altar or come forward to pray with me. She is sensitive to the Lord. If she does that in her weakened and feeble condition what is the rest of our excuses. Like I said, watching her bow or even sit at the altar needing help to do so is convicting. One Sunday she did so in broken tears. I want to be more like her. 

One day we will all bow. Every Satanists will bow the knee. So will all atheists and agnostics. Each proud defiant person will have no choice. As Philippians 2 reminds us, "Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord." It will be involuntarily and forcibly done on that day. How much more pleasing to the Lord will it be when we have made a lifetime of bowing the knee. 

I wondered after my worship experience what I would have done if God had prompted that at Spring Creek. How would I have responded in "big church" instead of at youth camp? I do not think I can honestly give an answer. I would have to be in that moment. I would not want to be a distraction to anyone, but at the same time I want to obey my King. If He asks me to bow in His presence, then I must bow. So think nothing of it if that ever happens. Fact is I hope you are so enthralled in your own worship that you would not even notice what I am doing. Just maybe the day will come when your King will ask You to bow the knee. He is worthy.