“Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O Lord”. (Habakkuk 3:2)
The last month or so, when I have been able to be at church, I’ve been unable to stand for very long, so have had to sometimes sit down during the worship times when others stand. It’s a very different perspective from down there, surrounded by others standing. I found it somewhat ironic one week that we were singing the song “I Stand In Awe” as I had to sit down!
As I thought about that, I recognized that there are many hymns and choruses that refer to standing–ones like “Standing on the Promises” or “Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus.”
There are many people who are unable now, or were never able to stand–confined to wheelchairs or beds. Some with chronic illness are unable to leave their homes to even be a part of church in a building with others in the body of Christ.
I hope this problem may be a temporary one for me, but what about when we feel we can no longer stand? Does our spirit still stand in awe, or stand on the promises of God’s word for us?
Corporate worship gives us a chance to be part of God’s people praising God together, whether we stand with them physically, or only in spirit. Even if you sit in your recliner, or lie on a bed and watch or listen to a Church service somewhere, I believe you can still be a part of it. It’s the attitude of our hearts that matters to God, not the position of our body.
Our awesome God is worthy of our praise, whether we can stand together with others, or not.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for who You are and that You see the attitude of our hearts, not just our physical position as we come before You. Help us to be aware of those who are differently-abled and to reach out to help them feel a part of our worship. Amen.
About The Author:
Fiona Burrows lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is thankful for the difference God makes in her life, and the lessons He teaches her, as she lives with chronic back pain. She enjoys finding time for reading, writing, and photography, and to travel when she is able. You can contact her in the Sunroom.
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Have you ever sat down during worship when everyone else was standing? Did you feel uncomfortable about it? Have you been able to ease that feeling over time?
Thanks for this article:) I’ve been feeling ashamed and guilty of not always being able to stand throughout worship, this gave me a whole new way to look at it. Bless you!
Fiona: Because I play the piano in our services, I’m always sitting, but of course that’s different. I know that people expect me to sit.
I think self-image is the key thing with this and many other issues. I have found that as I’ve gotten to know God better – through his Word and other Christians – my feelings about myself have changed. I see myself as valued, unique, loved on the basis of God’s creation of me (Psalm 139) and coming to die to be my Saviour.
BUT, like many truths, this can be challenged by life events, such as your inability to stand for the worship part of your service sometimes lately. Especially if we think others misunderstand and may be wondering why. A wonderful truth to me is that God fully understands and that’s what really matters.
But I sure do empathize with anyone who may feel like “the odd man out”. Most people want to be “part of the group they’re with.
Thanks for writing this Fiona.
I can relate to your experience. I attend a huge church, but I sit in the same area each time I go, as do many of the people around me. I think most have become accustomed to me sitting after a bit, so I no longer feel embarrassed. But I hadn’t thought about what God saw, because I felt in my heart that I was still worshiping and praising. I still raise my hands in honor or supplication, even when I am sitting. I will also do that when I am at home singing praise songs.
The thing that gets me, though, is I can’t kneel or prostrate myself in His presence. That is what I really want to do, and I can’t without pain. So when I’m praying, I often tell Him, “LORD, my heart is kneeling in Your presence this morning.”
Fiona, I too sit in awe at times during worship with a pillow under me. I have fibro and spinal stenosis. There are quite a few older women and men who do the same as well as those who are physically challenged as I am. But some days I can do liturgical dance. Then I dance in awe of God’s amazing grace! Thank you, we seem to be in the same pew.
Anna: It’s good that you have the DESIRE to kneel or prostrate yourself before the Lord! Bless you! And God totally understands why you don’t. I think it’s great how you tell Him that your HEART is kneeling. That’s the most important thing anyway, in my thinking.
I’m glad you sent in this comment. It has me realizing that I come into the Lord’s presence too casually sometimes. I remember someone saying it would be good for us to sit in His ‘waiting room” for a few moments before we begin to pray and worship, pondering the fact that the Kings of kings has invited us to meet with Him! Talk about awesome!!
I think that it is nothing to do with our physical body or position but about our soul. Do our hearts kneel before Christ, do we stand up in our hearts for Christ. After all “People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)