A Word Picture!

IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008

I think I should have known years ago and if I did I had forgotten. My Pastor gave me a nugget Sunday that is making a difference. I am delighted with the word picture he gave me.
I am participating in Beth Moore’s new Bible Study – Stepping Up — it’s really timely for me. And one of the exercises she strongly encourages us to do every day is to prostrate ourselves before The Lord in prayer before we begin our daily study time and I have been doing that. But today it was different. This is my Pastor’s word picture: when we are prostrate before one another we are saying I have no defenses; it means I am at your mercy – you can do whatever you will with me, there is no way for me to get up and defend myself against any action you may choose to take.
Let me give you an example from Scripture that well describes this word picture:

2 Samuel 19:
18… When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king
19 and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. source

If we take that word picture and prostrate ourselves before The Lord, face down on the carpet, we are saying with our physical frame what our will is saying: Lord, I am here before You, I have laid down my defenses, I will not fight You on this, I am surrendered to Your Will in this situation.

I am without words to express to you how much this means to me! This is a physical expression that I believe if we do it enough, even if our wills are not exactly sold on it, I believe our Wills will eventually line up with Father’s Will for us in whatever that situation is. So IF you are physically able, that is you are of an age and physical capabilities that you can get down there, face down on the floor, and then get up again without damage, I urge you to try it. In time, you may find a new you down there on the floor.

Moses took this prostrate business seriously, especially on behalf of his people.

Deuteronomy 9: 18 Then once again I fell prostrate before the LORD for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the LORD’s sight and so provoking him to anger. 19 I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the LORD listened to me. source

And look what Father did when Moses prostrated himself on behalf of others: But again the LORD listened to me.
Father, thank You for giving this word picture to me; thank You for my Pastor who articulated it. And I pray that in all situations I will prostrate myself before You even when I am up walking around. I pray that each of us will surrender, that we will not fight against You but will gladly accept Your Will. You know the things that are pressing on our minds and the loads that burden our souls, we pray for relief; we pray for deliverance; we pray for wisdom and guidance; we pray for Your Will to be done in each. And we pray the same for these listed here. We pray the same for our IDOK Troops; we pray for their safety in mind and body and spirit; we pray for their safe return home; we pray their families will also be protected and their needs will be met. We pray for a speedy and successful conclusion to this war, for the Peace of Israel, for the repentance of America, and for the election of Your Choice for President. And above all Father, we pray for a moving of You Holy Spirit in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray You will pour out conviction and grace and birth a revival in us for His sake. Amen and amen.

As I post this it is 45°F and partly cloudy in Balad, Iraq & the time there is 7:28 AM AST – on January 29, 2008
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