He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Luke 22:41-42 (NIV)
Kneeling Down
The bronze statue of a kneeling soldier in Cloverdale’s Heritage Square in Surrey BC honours and memorializes the city’s war veterans. This oversized bronze statue depicts a WWI kneeling soldier, helmet in hand, in remembrance of his fallen comrade. The sculpture was donated to the city through contributions from local school children, Veterans Affairs, the Canadian Legion, municipal, and federal sources to complete the top feature of the existing cenotaph. The unveiling of this 650 lb. statue took place during the 2006 Remembrance Day Ceremony.
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When a person is knighted, they kneel in front of the monarch. It has always been a sign of humility to kneel before someone of great importance. It shouldn’t surprise us at all, then, that the Bible records people kneeling in penitence or in prayer. That was Jesus’ position when He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:41-42 says “He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ’Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’” The time had come for Jesus to fulfill His purpose. All of history would be marked by the events that would soon take place. Being fully human, Jesus was dealing with what He knew would be the most challenging responsibility anybody had ever taken on. So, He knelt – in a sign of humility and surrender to the will of the Father. We need to learn the discipline of kneeling in prayer and humility before God. As we do, God will confirm His love for you and will fill you with His grace and power for you to fulfill whatever He has for you to do.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley