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SCRIPTURE
Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7
Come, let us sing to our God; let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before God's presence with thanksgiving, raising a loud shout with song. For the Most High is our God, the great sovereign over all else. Come, let us bow down and bend our knee and kneel before our God. For God is our Maker, in whose presence we live, and in whose hand we are held. Oh, that today I will listen to God's voice.
WORDS OF HOPE
This is one of the Bible’s most vibrant Psalms of praise to God. These verses ask us to do something which is very foreign to the life of most Americans; yet it would have been very understandable to ancient Israelite worshipers. "Come, let us bow down..."
Recently I watched an old interview with Megan Markle's (former Duchess of Sussex and American wife of the grandson of the Queen) in which she had been surprised to learn that even within an informal setting of the Royal family, when in the presence of the Queen, she was expected to bow. Why? Certainly, it is a sign of respect for the rank of the other person, but it is also a signal of where one's attention is placed. I imagine that a bow to royalty while continuing to eat a breakfast pastry or chomping on a big wad of bubblegum might be considered an indignity and sign of disrespect.
Why is it any different when we approach God in prayer? At that time, we want God to hear our voice and speak to us. We want to demonstrate the reality that God is very different than we are, and that God is sovereign over all. So, a bow to God is more than just a sign of respect. It also signifies that we want to focus our attention on the experience with God.
Now, do we have to get down on our knees to pray? As an Episcopalian, I learned when to pull down the kneeling bench at appropriate times in the worship service. But did that really help me focus my attention toward God, or the arthritic pain in my body? The body position is not as important as the "position and focus of one's mind and attention". Our act of bowing before God might consist of a few moments of focused quiet before prayer in a manner which would indicate, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."
PRAYER
God, our Maker, may we never lose sight of the majesty of who you are. Whether in our minds, in our hearts, or in our physical being, may we always be eager to bow down before your eternal loving presence.
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Donald (Luke) Day
Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
Cathedral of Hope
Proclaiming Christ Through Faith, Hope and Love
5910 Cedar Springs Road | Dallas, TX | 75235
214-351-1901
info@cathedralofhope.com