We move a lot in our services. In the sanctuary, the congregation will alternately stand, sit, and kneel. In Grace Commons, we don’t have cushions for kneeling, but we still do a lot of stand-up-sit-down. Why? This reflects the way God made us, as the Bible teaches us—we are people with bodies. As such, what we do in our bodies affects our souls, and vice versa. For example, when you stand for the National Anthem at a ball game, your posture tells your brain, “Pay attention!” Likewise, in church, when you stand for the Gospel reading, you can’t help but focus. And when you kneel, you are put in a penitential frame of mind. People in the Bible were always lifting their hands in praise, falling down in confession, or sitting to listen to Jesus. We follow their example and worship God not only with our hearts and minds, but our bodies as well.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Church Aerobics: Why Do We Kneel, Sit, and Stand?
We move a lot in our services. In the sanctuary, the congregation will alternately stand, sit, and kneel. In Grace Commons, we don’t have cushions for kneeling, but we still do a lot of stand-up-sit-down. Why? This reflects the way God made us, as the Bible teaches us—we are people with bodies. As such, what we do in our bodies affects our souls, and vice versa. For example, when you stand for the National Anthem at a ball game, your posture tells your brain, “Pay attention!” Likewise, in church, when you stand for the Gospel reading, you can’t help but focus. And when you kneel, you are put in a penitential frame of mind. People in the Bible were always lifting their hands in praise, falling down in confession, or sitting to listen to Jesus. We follow their example and worship God not only with our hearts and minds, but our bodies as well.
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