On Prayer III

We have so far looked at how alertness and self-control are very vital to the art of prayer. This we see from the context of 1Peter 4:7.

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.”

1 Peter 4:7 NIV

Today, we shall examine how Soberness, another factor in the text can facilitate prayerfulness. It is short and straight to the point. Be blessed.

SOBERNESS

Ah! To what shall we liken this generation? There’s so much rush and noise and shout! We are all running at top speed chasing nothing. God will need to calm us down.
I believe that when God will help this generation, He will slow us down. There is a mad rush at nothing, and noisy yet empty living.
We need to achieve Soberness to live prayerfully. But unfortunately today, we have so many things calling for our attention. You’ll see a young man wake up in the morning and the type of noisy and dirty music he will play will show you that he is not a man given to meditation and reflection.
Soberness is a state of calmness of the mind. It is what facilitates reflection. Profundity is eroding from this generation because people won’t reflect. Hear some people talk and you’ll wonder at the level of shallowness. You can’t be alert if you’re not sober, and you can’t be self-controlled if you are not sober. Sobriety is the string upon which alertness and self-control are hung.
Until we avoid talkativeness, positive reflection, quiet in the spirit, we will never pray. A man of prayer is a man of few words and deep reflection.
Check your environment: are they facilitating Soberness? Your music, your friends, the books you read, the pages you like on Facebook, your mail subscriptions, etc.

PRAYERS
*I repent of a noisy lifestyle. I receive the gift of sobriety in my spirit.
*I break away from negative impacts on calmness of my spirit in Jesus name. (Don’t just pray this one, act it: delete those songs, unlike those pages, RUN!)

Question 1: On Posture.

Here’s the question that came in from Iyanuoluwa via WhatsApp. It’s an important one and I’m sure it would benefit you:

I guess you will still talk more on the issue of kneeling down while praying in the subsequent write ups. Bcz, I don’t kneel when I pray, we in our church don’t kneel also. But in Anglican church that my Grandparents go, they kneel to pray.

Basically, the point in this wonderful question is that of posture. What is the right posture for praying?

The Bible is replete with many prayer postures. Now I have not seen where any of these is mandated. They are supposed to be as inspired, not sacrosanct rules. However the following guidelines of wisdom may be helpful.

1. When you’re in church and the prayer leader demands a posture: e.g. that everyone kneels down or prostrates. I believe it is obedience to obey. It would be an act of obedience not to be arrogant to such instruction, provided you have capacity to do it (health wise) and it’s not unscriptural. You must know that that person represents God for that moment they are leading the prayer session. You would want to obey them as you would obey God. Now, concerning issues of conviction; of not being convinced to do it or having struggles in your spirit, I’d rather not tell you what to do then, do what you would be glad to stand up for any time you are being challenged. But ultimately be sure it is the Holy Spirit who is hindering you from taking that required posture and not some pride garbed in the religious language “conviction”.
2. When you attend a new church where they have traditional postures they pray in. You must understand first that it was your decision to attend the church, you were never held at gunpoint and asked to attend. So, since you willingly attended the church, you would be wise to participate heartily in every aspect of the service so long as they are not antiscriptural. As a student pastor I once attended a church with some colleagues to carry out a comparative experiment. We were surprised to find out our visit coincided with their communion service. The first question on our mind was “Should we participate?” I was the one who advised that we were there already and should not act as contrarians. Besides we didn’t want to give the impression that we are assuming our own Baptist communion was superior to theirs. But then something else happened: we discovered everybody was drinking from the same cup. The priest just had to wipe off someone else’s lips with the same handkerchief and we were worried about the hygiene. But I took it. We advised one another that anyone who is struggling with the hygiene or worried about their own personal immunity should kindly step out of the auditorium before the ushers got to them. Later we all took it and it was a great worship experience. The point is, it could be seen as arrogance by the church members for you not to participate in the traditional prayer posture and you are in the worship service. That is why you need information before attending any church. If you’re being invited and you know you cannot do some things, tell the one who invited you: that way they’ll be ready to defend you even when you’ve left and people are casting aspersions at your conduct during the service. But know that it is simply humility and a sense of ecumenical soundness on your part to obey the traditional posture so far it is not antiscriptural.
3. When you live with someone who has a personal preference for a posture and they want to religiously mandate it for you too. This is where dialogue is needed between you and they. In the presence of God, there is liberty. If their own liberty tethers them to a particular posture, that does not have to be true for other people. If you feel like kneeling down every time in prayer maybe because your God is so big and you see it as pride not to kneel down in prayer (this comes more from Yoruba parents. Don’t ask me how I know), others may not feel that way: in fact they may feel like standing or doing something weird as an act of reverence for God. That is why in any worship we don’t act based on feelings but by leading. Discuss it in Christian love and arrive at a consensus that offers freedom of worship to everyone during prayers.
4. In your personal prayer, how do you know the posture that is right? I’d simply say, as you pray, be sensitive. Assume a posture that will give you maximum privilege to pray as hard as you are led to. Assume the posture that keeps you alert and sensitive. If you hold your morning prayers on the bed, which is not advisable, and you discover you are dozing off, it is wise you change it: sit, stand, walk around, kneel (if that won’t make you sleep again), etc. Understand that a lot of the time, too much convenience is an enemy of prayer. Avoid postures that give you excessive convenience that might make you sleep off or make your mind wander off, except if you know you are disciplined enough to master it.
5. Understand that to God the alignment of the heart is more important than physical gestures. Let me quote an important scripture to this effect. “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:7‭-‬9 KJV. The point here is that the heart of a man gives meaning to whatever he does. And this is equally very true of things done in worship. Whatever you do, make sure your heart is doing it. Ensure it is coming from your heart. You can lay prostrate from now till kingdom come, if it’s not coming from your heart it is a total waste. I’d add that the best prayer posture is not a physical posture, but the posture of the heart: that of humility, worship, dependence on God, submission to His will, listening to God, etc. These will bring you to the most suitable physical posture for that prayer session.

So, is there a singular recommended posture for praying? No, the Bible didn’t say that. You just be led, obedient and worshipful.

Feel free to share your views on this matter.
Shalom