Matthew 2:10
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Kings don’t know how to kneel. Others kneel before them. Others praise them, honor them, and bring gifts to them. If a king is humbled it normally means that he has been defeated. For a king to be humbled is to be debased.
In our devotional reading for today we have an example of one king who refused to kneel and others who longed to kneel. King Herod revolted at the idea of kneeling before a baby King. His reaction to the thought was to destroy this baby King who had seemed to be a divine challenge. The other kings had traveled long and far at great expense. They brought gifts fitting for a royal birthday party. They were urgent in their inquiries as they sought to kneel beside the cradle of the baby King.
Do we have a similar urgent desire to set aside our ambitions, to forfeit our dreams, to sacrifice our substance in order to have the privilege of kneeling before the King? Jesus seemed to refer to this level of commitment when He said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23 )
Dr. Gayle Woods
Psalm 72:17-19 (17)
The knight kneeling before his lord is a picture that brings feelings of nobleness to our mind. The person of Asian decent bowing the head and stooping to those to whom he wishes to show respect causes us to have feelings of admiration and appreciation. The European man kneeling on one knee and taking the hand of the one he loves brings feelings of romance to mind.
In other cultures to kneel before a superior, someone you love, or someone you respect is expected protocol. It is something that is demanded be all. It is something that is ingrained into the training of the person.
In the American individualistic culture, kneeling has not taken on the significance that it has carried in other parts of the world. No American citizen would ever think to kneel before the President of the United States let alone before their landlord. Could this be why some do not like to kneel in prayer to God?
The Psalmist spoke of blessing the Lord. The Hebrew word he used indicates the act of kneeling in an act of reverence. This is the attitude of heart that is expressed in the life of all who love Him. We bless God. We worship Him in our humble submission. It is a time when we express that we recognize who He is and who we are.
Dr. Gayle Woods
