As a kid I vividly remember playing was we called “Knee Football” with my brother and my uncles. On snowy Wisconsin days we would often huddle up in Grandpa & Grandma’s basement and play a spirited game of football…on our knees. This was our way of keeping it somewhat civil and would reduce the chances that something of Grandmas would get broken. But alas, something did break…

My collarbone.

I had the ball and three of my uncles tackled me at the same time. It was a John sandwich. I think they forgot that I was 10 years old and all of about 60 pound…wet.

Because of that unfortunate Knee Football fiasco and because of my strict upbringing in Catholicism (a religion that calls you to your knees often), I grew up a bit leery of the worship posture of kneeling or bowing before the Lord. That has changed as I’ve gotten older. I now find myself in that particular worship response often, and I see it portrayed all throughout Scripture.

In Mark 5 there is a pattern that emerges that I’d like to explore. It supports what the Psalmist says in Psalm 95:6: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”

Kneeling out of Submission
In Mark 5:6 a demon possessed man saw Jesus at a distance and ran to him. When he was close he fell to his knees before the Son of the Most High God. Jesus discerned the spirits within and spoke with authority to them. The position the man took was one of submission and surrender. Is your life completely submitted to the Son of God?

Kneeling out of Need
In Mark 5:22 a synagogue ruler named Jarius approached Jesus on behalf of his sick daughter. He fell at Jesus’ feet and pleaded for her healing. His need was great. Like the situations that many of us face throughout our lifetime, his need was serious. Do you have a need right now? Have you humbly presented that need to Jesus? Believe me, he knows what to do with it!

Kneeling out of Vulnerability
In Mark 5:33 a situation is documented regarding a women with a serious health issue. Out of desperation she reached out to Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak. When Jesus realized that someone had touched him the women fell at his feet and trembled in fear. She became extremely vulnerable. She had to expose herself to the Son of God in the midst of a large crowd. That’s vulnerability, and it’s never easy. When’s the last time you came to Jesus out of transparency and vulnerability?

John Fehlen serves as the Lead Pastor of West Salem Foursquare Church. He digs his wife Denise and their four kids. Check out his blog at www.johnfehlen.com. Flickr Image