SEARCHLIGHT
What position should you take when talking to God? What position should you take toward God? What position should you take when considering who you are?
SCRIPTURE
“…HE STOOD ON THE PLATFORM, AND THEN HE KNELT IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF ISRAEL AND LIFTED HIS HANDS TOWARD HEAVEN.” 2 Chronicles 6:13 NIV
“…FOR YOU ALONE KNOW EACH HUMAN HEART.” 2 Chronicles 6:30 NIV
“…AND WHO HAS NEVER SINNED?” 2 Chronicles 6:36 NIV
SPOTLIGHT
A movie director will often say, “Everyone, take your positions.” Sometimes you may be asked, “What position do you take on this subject?” You need to decide what your position is regarding prayer, God, and yourself.
Charles Spurgeon was a great pastor who led one of the first mega-churches numbering over 7000 people in the late 1800s. When asked the secret of his spiritual power, he answered, “Knee work! Knee work!” Solomon gave the same importance to prayer as Spurgeon. In 2 Chronicles 6:13, you see Solomon’s humble prayer position. He was seen by the community as he knelt and lifted his hands to heaven praying aloud on behalf of the people. This was not like the Pharisees, in Jesus’ time, who prayed to be seen in order to gain attention and respect. In humility, he lifted his voice without using fine language that the people would not understand. Nor did he beat around the bush. He knew that sin and forgiveness were primary issues.
What position should you take when talking to God? Take a humble position, like Solomon. Even before you say anything to God, humble yourself. Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”[Matthew 23:12.] Be sure that your family knows you pray for them. When you get alone with God it does not matter whether you lie down, sit, stand, or kneel. However, if you can kneel, it will certainly be a vivid object lesson to yourself that you need to be humble before Almighty God. Really, what is important is the position of your heart. Don’t be conscious of how you look. Your humility is expressed by the fact that you are aware that you are communing with God, your Creator. Talk plainly. Praise Him and then petition Him by getting to the point. You do not have to use fancy words or terms. Humbly pray. Rick Warren said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Think about whom you are having the privilege to talk to rather, than how you look or how you are saying it.
What position should you take toward God? How do you treat Him? In Solomon’s prayer, he humbly admitted to God, “.…for You alone know each human heart.” [See 1 Kings 8:39, Psalm 44:21.] Take a God-fearing position, like Solomon. Your Creator knows everything about you. He designed and created your heart. He knows you better than you know yourself. He is the only One with inside knowledge. You cannot keep secrets from Him. He knows how you feel, what you think, and what you want to do. The Bible says, “…the Lord does not look at the things that man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”[1 Samuel 16:7.] God is always looking at your heart. Before God, take a God-fearing, reverential position. There is no one like God. At the hospital, you can get a cat scan or pet scan to determine your physical health. God continually gives you a heart scan describing your spiritual health. Express God-fearing reverence by asking Him to tell you your spiritual health. When you die it matters not what is in your head, but rather is Jesus in your heart?
What position should you take regarding who you are? In Solomon’s prayer, he not only humbly admitted that God knew his heart, but that he, along with everyone else, was a sinner. He prayed, “…and who has never sinned?” [See 1 Kings 8:46.] Take an honest position like Solomon. Everyone is a sinner. Romans 3:9,10,23 states, “…all are under the power of sin.” As it is written, “There is no one righteous, not even one….for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” You are a sinner, separated from God. To not admit you are a sinner, is to express the highest, deadliest form of pride. You will die separated from God. Self-deception is so common. The most common lie is lying to yourself. You are not dealing with facts but self-deception. You are thinking so highly of yourself in your attempt to fill a void. The emptiness you feel is living without personally knowing your Creator and Savior. You are worshipping yourself by claiming to be without sin. Honesty will lead you to confess your need to be forgiven of your sin. Like Raleigh said, “You will have made your heart right with God.”
TAKE YOUR POSITION. Take a humble prayer position as you pray to your Heavenly Father. Take a God-fearing, reverential position as you relate to your Creator. And always, take an honest position when understanding who you are.
SOMETHING TO DO
- What can you do to continually live a humble life?
- Ask God to examine your heart. (Psalm 26:2; 7:9; Proverbs 21:2,3; Jeremiah 20:12) Ask God to purify your heart. (Psalm 51:10; Mark 2:8,9)
- Think about what Jesus meant when He taught in the Lord’s Prayer to pray, “…forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I want to live a life expressing humility, God-fearing reverence, and honesty before You and the world. I invite You, Holy Spirit, to convict me and direct me as to how to do this. AMEN!!!