A Life-Changing Study on Falling at the Feet of Jesus

 

What attitudes tap into the Lord’s favor and give Him pleasure? What posture of mind, heart, and body typically results in His favorable response to our prayers?

I found some answers to these questions many years ago when I launched a peculiar topical study in the New Testament: the feet of Jesus. Especially in the Gospels, people often fell at His feet for a variety of compelling reasons. I looked for these instances, and found a few references outside the four Gospels. I mulled over these questions as I examined the passages:

*Who fell at Jesus’ feet?

*What was the reason for approaching Him?

*How did Jesus respond to the person?

*What words best describe the mindset or attitude of the people who approached Him?

*What applications can I find for my prayer life?

*Add this probe after you’ve gone  through all the references: Which instance of people falling at Jesus’ feet resonates most with me today? Why?

In most texts you consult, you’ll find answers to all the questions. In a few instances, the text says someone bowed before Him, but most of the time, there’s a literal reference to Jesus’ feet.

For me, the ultimate outcome was a keener sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and to the times when He is nudging me to fall at the Savior’s feet for one reason or another.

What follows is a basic summary of my findings, categorizing the reasons why persons fell at His feet.

1. To Receive Instruction (to listen as He talked)   Luke 10:38-42

2.  To Request Help (to plead with Him concerning a strong felt need:   supplication/intercession) Matt. 15:21-28, 15:29-31;  Luke 8:41-48

3.  To Reveal Gratitude  (to express thanks for something He did) Luke 8:26-39, espec. 35;  17:11-19

4.  To Renounce Sin  (awareness of one’s sin and Jesus’ capacity to forgive) Luke 5:1-8; 7: 36-50

5.  To Recognize His Authority (acknowledgement that He’s God, even among the demon-possessed) Matt. 17:1-8;  Mark 3:11, 5:1-7;  Phil. 2:9-11;  Rev. 1:9-18 (note vs. 17)

6.  To Revel In His Presence (To worship Him and to enjoy His presence) Matt. 28:1-9; Rev. 4:8-11;  Rev. 5 (entire chapter, espec. 8, 14); Rev. 7:9-12

 

Special note:  Anyone who takes the time to use these passages and this theme as the basis for several days of devotions will profit immensely! As you peruse each text, use the questions I provided earlier that guided me in my original study. If you benefit half as much as I did, God’s Spirit will speak many personal words to you, words of encouragement as well as conviction. 

You will discover that the proper etiquette for approaching our Lord is face down, propelled by a spirit of desperation, humility, or awe. You’ll be far less likely to ever approach Him glibly again. And you’ll discover the truth of Isaiah 66:2, where God says, “To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My Word.”

When I’m enveloped by darkness of spirit, one way I penetrate it is to throw myself at Jesus’ feet and plead with Him to do what only He can do.

My wrap for this post is a poem I wrote to capture some of the reasons people literally fell at Jesus’ feet.

 

At Jesus’ Feet

At the feet of Jesus,

I thank Him for His grace:

so rich and free, outpoured for me,

it’s there I put my face.

 

At the feet of Jesus,

I lay my deepest needs.

The load is there, for Him to bear,

He hears the heart that pleads.

 

At the feet of Jesus,

I disclose all my sins.

His sacrifice paid the full price;

my brokenness He mends.

 

At the feet of Jesus,

when my weak hands are tied,

I make a plea, for family

to walk close by His side.

 

At the feet of Jesus,

I get a better view

of who He is, the might that’s His.

I give the praise He’s due.

 

At the feet of Jesus,

I listen to Him talk.

What I have heard within His Word,

sustains my daily walk.

 

At the feet of Jesus,

demons are in one accord:

they all cower before His power,

acknowledging Him as Lord.

 

Why do you need to fall at Jesus’ feet today?

I don’t know what size sandals Jesus wore during His years in Palestine, but I figure His feet are pretty large. No matter how many people fall at His feet, there is always room for more.