The Kneeling Christian

We began this week with a clip from the movie version of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery. The scene is early in the movie where Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are permitting the teenage Anne Shirley to live with them “on a trial basis.” It is nighttime, and Marilla comes into Anne’s bedroom as Anne climbs into bed. The following conversation ensues.

Marilla: Have you said your prayers?

Anne: I never say any prayers.

Marilla: What do you mean? Haven’t you been taught to say your prayers?

Anne: Since Mrs. Hammond told me that God made my hair red on purpose, I haven’t cared for Him since.

Marilla: Well, while you’re under my roof, you will say your prayers.

Anne: Of course, if you want me to. How does one do it?

Marilla: Kneel beside the bed…

Anne: That’s a part I never really could understand – why people kneel down to pray. If I really wanted to pray, I would go out into a great big field, all alone. I’d look up into the sky. I’d imagine it was the dome of a great cathedral, and then, I’d close my eyes and just feel prayer. What am I to say?

Marilla: Well, I think you’re old enough to think of your own prayer. You thank God for His blessings and then humbly ask Him for the things you want.

Anne: I’ll do my best… Dear gracious heavenly Father, I thank you for everything. As for the things I especially want, they are so numerous it would take a great deal of time to mention them all. So I’ll just mention the two most important. Please, let me stay at Green Gables, and please, make me beautiful when I grow up. I remain yours respectfully, Anne Shirley – with an “E”. Did I do all right?

Marilla: Yes, if you were addressing a business letter to the catalog store. Get into bed.

Anne: I should have said “Amen,” instead of “Yours respectfully.” Do you think it will make any difference?

Marilla: I expect God will overlook it – this time. Goodnight.

Anne: Goodnight, Ms. Cuthbert.

Marilla (to herself): That girl is next door to a perfect heathen!

This message is, as you can see, about prayer. Both Anne and Marilla have some things they could learn, as do we. Today’s message can be neatly summarized with the acrostic WAIT.

Worship

The “W” in WAIT refers to worship. Consider the following passage.

In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.

Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said to me, "O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you " And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.

Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future."

When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, "O my lord, as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me."

Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. He said, "O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!" Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, "May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me." – Daniel 10:2-19

God gave Daniel a gift: to see reality for a moment. There is a bigger world than that we can see. When we see more clearly the reality of God, His power and glory, we are drawn to worship Him.

As you spend time in the Scriptures, really immerse yourself in and memorize passages that impact you. Once you have memorized them, try first reciting them by memory, then spending time in silent reflection of the passage, and then enter into prayer. Just spend time being in awe before God. Pursue worship in prayer.

A good subtitle for this message might be “Pursuing Mental Health Through Prayer.” Although some in secular society may say that religious devotion is a sign of mental imbalance, the opposite is true. True mental health might be falling down in prayer before God.

Now, true or false? If, in a season of prayer, you fast for 21 days, God will then hear your prayer. False! God hears you the first moment you pray to Him. Prayer is heard immediately, although it may not be answered (in the way we want) immediately.

Imagine the act of praying like that of firing a gun. If it doesn’t go off, we tend to lay it down. We need to remember that our world is broken. God’s agenda is making us like Christ. He has this agenda in our prayer life too.

So instead of picturing a regular gun as a symbol for prayer, picture a gun that simultaneously fires both ways, forwards and backwards, back at us. Prayer is like this. When we pray, it changes us too.

Ask.

The second component in the acrostic WAIT is ask. Consider the following verse.

Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. – Psalm 2:8

This is an amazing verse. Normally we ask for “small potatoes.” What are you asking God for beyond the little things? Notice that in the Lord’s prayer, “our daily bread” and “Thy kingdom come” are there together; little and big, side by side. Thank Him for the small things, the answers to little prayers, but also ask Him for big, “impossible” things.

Another good verse is the following.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – John 15:7

Another amazing verse! Ask whatever you wish.

Intercede.

The third component of WAIT is intercession.
Imagine that one hour of prayer for a person would guarantee the salvation of that person within a week. But, it could only be one person. Who would you choose? Contemplate this question, and determine the top three people and begin to regularly intercede for them.

The following Scriptures speak to intercessory prayer and lay out consequences of forsaking intercessory prayer.

Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back. If you say, "See, we did not know this," does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? – Proverbs 24:11-12a

It has been made a desolation, desolate, it mourns before Me; the whole land has been made desolate, because no man lays it to heart. – Jeremiah 12:11

Let us be a people of intercessory prayer.

Thanksgiving.

The final component of WAIT is thanksgiving.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. – I Thess. 5:16-18

Finding God’s will is always a hot topic. People say that if you want to draw more people to your church, on your church sign you should put that your topic is finding God’s will. Well, this verse tells you God’s will: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.

We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. – Hebrews 13:10

Spending time reflecting on this verse will give you plenty to be thankful for.

With regards to practical applications, consider doing one thing new in prayer that you haven’t been doing. Don’t try to do everything.

Here are a few additional possibilities.

Consider praying with someone you don’t normally pray with.

Consider “prayer walking.” This is praying with one person, one walks and leads the other, and the other prays. Take turns with who does the praying.

Let us use our two-sided “prayer gun,” for the sake of God’s glory, for our sakes, for the sakes of those around us, and for the sake of our world. Remember to WAIT on the Lord – through Worship, Asking, Intercession, and Thanksgiving.