“Pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:17-18
I remember that in the first Church I grew up in, Peace Lutheran in Phoenix, Arizona, that the sanctuary had kneelers in every pew. These were padded boards which people could pull down and kneel upon whenever prayers of the Church were given. While God did not hear our prayers more because we took that posture, it was a means by which the congregation was reminded about the reverence that our holy God deserves. It was a position of humility and I know it greatly aided the meaning in the act of prayer for the assembly. It’s the same reason why here at Pilgrim, we make a point to stand during prayers and emphasize our respect for the great God we worship.
Those moments in Phoenix stand out in my mind as they were meaningful and special times. Yet, I know that it’s not always possible to be in a beautiful sanctuary with kneelers whenever I want to approach God in prayer. When God tells us to “pray without ceasing” it means also that God is aware that we can’t always be in the Church in such a posture whenever we want or need to talk to Him. Like you, most of my prayers take place spontaneously, while walking on the street, driving in my car, laying down in bed or in a busy restaurant and those prayers are just as effective and efficacious as if they were said in the midst of the Divine Service on my knees.
We don’t worship a God that we can only communicate with when we go up to a Church or assume a specific posture or position. Our God is always with us, His Holy Spirit lives within us, and we are never apart from Him. Accordingly, God wants us to make prayer a part of our every day life and every moment of our days. This is a wonderful reminder that He truly is the God who is with us always and is always ready to hear us when we call to Him in prayer!
Know that you are loved!
Peace and Joy!
Pastor Kilian