Prayer Posture #6

The Roman Catholic Church invented pews during the Middle Ages, right before the Protestant Reformation. Since the Protestant Reformation was essentially a Christian education movement with very long sermons, the Protestants kept the pews even though they rejected just about everything else they regarded as a ‘Roman invention.’ As a result, sitting has become the normal posture for prayer for many western congregations.

In 2 Samuel 7:18, David sat to pray. However, sitting for prayer was not prevalent until after the invention of pews.

But does it matter whether we sit, stand, or kneel to pray?
When it comes to prayer and worship, bodily posture makes no difference at all. You can pray anywhere, any time, and in any position. But in another sense, posture is of utmost importance. It is important to realize that the body and soul, physical and spiritual and the prayer and the posture that we take impact each other in profound ways. Our bodies can tell us a lot about how we are praying and worshipping. Not only does outward posture reflect an inward state, it also helps to nurture an inner attitude.


So today we will sit, but before we pray, Joshua Michalski wrote a poem and this will be our prelude into prayer.


A Spiritual Struggle
-Joshua Michalski

Here I am, stuck in the middle
Helpless, I have to choose
But which one?

One promises life,
One promises fun,
How do I choose, which one?

I like the sound of fun.....naturally
So I tried it
It WAS fun, easy and exciting, getting drunk and cigs
I liked it then...but I hate it now
How do I choose? Which One?

I didn't like my last decision, I lived it so long
I refuse to be like this, I've seen a better way
I need to choose, Which One?

I want that one
The Lord

I get down on my knees and start to talk to Him
"Some call you Father
Maybe you can set me free
I've been so troubled
And you've still done so much for me."

I've been in this dark room for so long
Not letting myself out
Trapped now
I can't get out

I cry out...silently
I'm worthless

I see outside these bars
The light promises so much
But can I trust it?
Am I stuck here forever?

No, I choose not too
I beg you GOd, set me free!
I choose You!
I've chosen right
Now the doors have opened
I Choose Him

'Now, I will know what it means to live for someone else
To give up myself
Thinngs will change
And times will get kind of strange
Still your love remains the same.' (POD)

POSTURE: Sitting, head down, eyes averted or closed, and hands clasped.

Prayer:
Father, a careless word from our mouths can ruin someone's day. It can throuw mud on a reputation and turn harmony into chaos. Help us to thinkbefore we speak, GOD. Make us the kind of people who understand the power of words. Give us hearts of love so that we may reflect to the world what is inside us. We can't stick a cup into a pool of mud and come up with clear water. Make us clean on the inside GOD, so that when we tell te world about your love, they don't run away. Make us worthy. Sit beside us. Wrap your arm around us. Show us the way. Create clean hearts in us GOD and as your children we will honor you! Amen.