They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. (Rev. 7:11)
Think of all the postures your physical body assumes in a day. You sit, stand, lie down, kneel, etc. It is probably rare, however, for you to fall on your face like the angels in this passage. Contrast the posture of the angels with other postures described in Scripture—people who were “stiff-necked” or “hard-hearted.” The posture of the physical body indicates something about what is going on inside the spiritual body.
God wants us to be so alive in our inward selves that our outward, physical selves reflect his presence. How does your body respond to the inward work of the Holy Spirit? Clearly, the angels in this passage were overwhelmed by God and his saving grace. Their song of praise is the kind of language you imagine from someone who is overcome with emotion. This scene is alive with creatures, angels, physical movement, worship, singing, and noise. Some of it is understandable to us, and some of it is a mystery.
Consider what your posture might be if you were dropped into the scene. Are you standing? Are you lying flat on the ground? Are you praising God at all? If some hard-heartedness has worked its way into your spirit, and you find your posture more stiff-necked than prostrate, take some time in prayer today, and release it to the Savior.
Consider what might be hindering your worship today.
Erin Crisp is mom to three teenage boys, wife to a Wesleyan pastor, and vice president at an EdTech company. Erin loves to learn and to create meaningful learning experiences for others through teaching, designing, and consulting.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
