“‘She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“’Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel’
(which means, God with us)….
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him…’ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 1:21-23; 2:2,10-11
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.’ Then Abram fell on his face.” Genesis 17:1-3
“The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.” Exodus 34:5-8
It is not in human nature to want to fall. A clumsy trip is embarrassing, painful, humiliating. But the Lord delights when we fall in worship. The difference between our horrifying trip and His desire is that one is involuntary and all about me, the other intentional and all about Him. He presents Himself in a variety of ways to magnify His holy splendor and adjust our willing, loving, awe-inspired submission as His children.
Our posture every day is determined by our view of God Almighty. If we set about our business consumed with self and agenda and do do do, we may strut upright with chin high, or forge forward in determined progress. If we take time to delve into God’s word, and kneel before him in humble prayer, reciting His attributes and thanking Him for His goodness and fresh mercies, aligning our mindset with His will, however we physically move will be fueled with a glad, surrendered heart. We will embrace everything as a privileged service unto Him, our words and actions graced with His countenance and measured wisdom. Which will it be? (Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5-8; James 4:10)
What pride, or self-sufficient confidence, robs us of spiritual desire to fall before God? Would we ask Him to change our human driving to holy passion? When do we give lip service to worship, asserting swagger and control and trying to win favor with men, but never actually bow before the Almighty? What will it take to humble ourselves before the only worthy King of kings and Lord of lords? (Matthew 2:8,16; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14)
Lord, may I live my days on bended knee, ever submissive to Your righteous authority and worshiping You as You deserve.
As the rain and snow 