Encouragement

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One day we will see the Lord, and what a day that will be. Are you ready? What if He comes today? What do you think will be your first reaction? Will you fall on your face or just gaze spell bound at His Glory? Advent is the perfect time to consider the prayer posture of prostration.

“O God how wonderful Thou art” has always been one of my favourite hymns as long as I can remember, especially the lines that say, “Prostrate before Thy throne to lie and gaze and gaze on Thee.” Children know how to adopt this position to watch insects in the grass or to watch television. With chins cupped in open hands, eyes riveted, their small bodies are stilled, their whole attention to be focused on the object of interest.

Whenever I felt the need to unburden my heart, overloaded with some deep concern, I would lie on the carpet in my prayer closet and pray. Sometimes tears would soak into the carpet and I would fall into a short but peaceful sleep. When it was time to get up, everything would be in perspective, and I felt the assurance that God had been invited to truly take control. There is nothing like going as low as one can go to remember who is really in charge.

To do this in privacy and on a carpet is one thing, to lie prostrate on the marble floor of Christ Church Cathedral, Nassau, in the presence of nearly one thousand people is quite another. With my forehead on my hands, I could not gaze upward or forward, with my eyes closed I could only look inward, searching for any hindrance, praying that it be released permitting a total infilling, indwelling, overshadowing to take place. I wanted to be filled with the fullness of Christ, to be flooded in every part with prayer and praise.

I found out later that because it was televised a good number of the nation engaged in spiritual prostration with me. Persons of all denominations found themselves before the throne of grace as well. I had prayed for this service not to be about me, but about God working through me, reaching the hearts of unsuspecting spectators who were not watching to worship but merely to witness. Thanks be to God, many witnessed to others of their call to worship. Even little ones were captivated by this position of prostration and their questions gave opportunity for testimony.

This falling flat on one’s face is humiliation, especially when it is imposed by others, in circumstances that cause us shame; it is humility when we lower ourselves to fall at Jesus’ feet. I have learned over the years that if I am reluctant to die to self, deny myself, or make time to pray during the day, that humiliation is never far away.

Perhaps this is one of the lessons that we may once more learn from a child, how to lower ourselves in our own estimation, as they find it so easy to lower themselves to the ground. Whom the Lord exalts, is truly exalted. Whom the Lord raises and makes worthy is surely set free. May we never forget that “pride goes before a fall” that getting on a “high horse” about anything may require us to “eat humble pie!”

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