Each Saturday we have been looking in-depth at a few of the most important aspects of having a dedicated, purposeful, intentional, devoted quiet time. This week in our current series, Seeking Him, we are continuing to look at this joy and privilege of our relationship with our heavenly Father—our quiet time alone with Him.
May I ask you to think about something for just a moment? What are some of the things you do with your body as you spend time and seek Him? A few that I pictured in my mind were:
- we sit
- we stand
- we kneel
- we lay prone
- we raise our hands
- we clap our hands
- we walk
- we lift our eyes
Perhaps you are thinking, “Oh, that is NOT for me, Coleen! I am kind of reserved, y’know. And besides, what might people think?!?” Let me remind you, my friends, we are talking about YOUR quiet time with Your Father…most probably no one is around, right?
Let’s look at some examples given in the Scriptures of people who, using their bodies, gave voice to the cries of their hearts:
When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Daniel 6:10
While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly. Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, responded to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples, but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. Let us therefore make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the law. Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we support you. Be strong and take action!”
Ezra 10:1-4
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. He said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing loving-kindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart…
1 Kings 8:22-24
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us…
Psalms 123:1-3
O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.
Psalms 47:1
Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me. And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire.
Matthew 26:38 and 39
And there are so MANY other examples throughout the Scriptures to show us that it is a good thing to physically express our adoration…our praise…our love…our great need for our Awesome and Great God! Just as Daniel, David, Ezra, Solomon, and our Lord Jesus Himself prayed and cried to God, they used their physical bodies to express their hearts to Him.
So may I please encourage you to get up! Allow your body to be an additional part of your expression of the words in your heart during your quiet time with your Father!
Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind
Luke 10:27
Our heavenly Father has required that we give Him all of ourselves. True worship and praise comes from the heart. If our worship does not come from our hearts, it will not matter what posture, or physical expression of our praise, we use. God requires all of you!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Keep seeking Him and enjoy your quiet time with your Lord! As you seek Him, He will be found…He promises!
Jeremiah 29:12,13
Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me,
and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity]
and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Praying for each of you! I know that the Lord will answer your heart’s cry as you are seeking Him with all your heart!
♥ coleen
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If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning the series, Seeking Him, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com