Let us read a few verses about kneeling in prayer.  1 Kings 8:54, “And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.”  We read in Psalm 95:6, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” 

Ezra prayed on his knees. (Ezra 9:5)

Daniel prayed on his knees. (Daniel 6:10)

Stephen prayed on his knees. (Acts 7:59-60)

Peter prayed on his knees. (Acts 9:40)

Paul prayed on his knees. (Acts 20:36)

Early Christians in the Bible prayed on their knees. (Acts 21:5)

Kneeling in prayer seems to encompass the spirit of submission, reverence, and humility.  It exhibits the attitude our loving and holy Lord is due.  In the examples of kneeling above, we see kneeling involved in public and private prayer.  It is appropriate almost anywhere.  I say almost, because there are many times where kneeling when we pray would not be appropriate.  If you are praying while you drive your car; if you are praying while you are at work; if you are praying when waiting in line at the bank.  All of these are appropriate times to pray, but it would not be appropriate to kneel in prayer. 

Jesus prayed on His knees. (Luke 22:41)

Jesus also prayed on His face. (Matthew 26:39)

When the Lord Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He did not mention kneeling.  (Luke 11:1-4)

Nehemiah prayed sitting down.  (Nehemiah 1:4)

While it is good to kneel when we pray (when we can), I believe the Lord is much more interested in the position of our hearts rather than the position of our knees when we pray.  The Lord does not look for fancy words or even many words. He isn’t looking for rehearsed or written prayers repeated mindlessly.  In fact, the Lord Jesus warned against praying to impress others or using “vain repetition” as we read in Matthew 6:5-6, “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” 

God wants to hear what is on our hearts and minds.  He wants us to approach Him in humility with all our hearts and devotion.  In praising Him, we are instructed, “I will praise thee, O LORD, with my WHOLE HEART…” (Psalm 9:1).  When we bring our petitions before the Lord we are instructed, “I intreated thy favour with my WHOLE HEART: be merciful unto me according to thy word.” (Psalm 119:58). 

Do we absolutely need to kneel when we pray?  I don’t think so, but we should NEVER have the attitude that we WILL NOT kneel to the Lord when we pray.  Genuine need in our lives leads to genuine praying, and that will often bring us to our knees as we humbly seek the Lord’s face.  (472.2)