Ellen Chat Conversation

Ellen White taught that "both in public and private worship it is our duty to bow down upon our knees before God when we offer our petitions to Him" (3SM 269.5). She emphasized that this physical act is a sign of reverence that "shows our dependence upon God" (3SM 269.5). In her writings, she expressed a strong conviction regarding this posture during formal worship. She once recounted an instance where she felt compelled to openly rebuke a brother who stood while leading the congregation in prayer, telling him, "Get down upon your knees. This is the proper position always" (2SM 311). She believed that because we are addressing the "Sovereign of the universe," we should manifest "reverence and Godly fear with devotional love" (3SM 269.5). She pointed to the examples of Jesus, who "kneeled down, and prayed," as well as biblical figures like Stephen, Paul, Ezra, and Daniel as evidence for this practice (PaM 181.2). However, she also clarified that kneeling is not required for every single prayer occasion. Her own example showed flexibility; while she advocated for kneeling in formal public and private devotions, she was known to stand for prayers of consecration at the end of a sermon or remain seated with a bowed head at the dining table (3SM 269.5, 3SM 266). For practical application, this means that while formal times of worship—such as church services and family or private devotions—should be characterized by kneeling as a mark of humility, we should also maintain a spirit of "constant" prayer throughout the day in any location or posture (3SM 266). In summary, while kneeling is the "proper position" for formal petitions to acknowledge God's majesty, it is the heart's connection and "communication open between God and my soul" that remains the ultimate goal of prayer (9MR 51). --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:** • What did Ellen White say about the importance of "secret prayer" or private devotions? • How did she describe the connection between prayer and the Holy Spirit's guidance? • What advice did she give regarding the length and nature of public prayers? --- 📚 **thousands of passages found** containing these search terms — [Explore in Full-Text Search](/advanced-search?q=What+did+Ellen+White+say+about+kneeling+in+prayer%3F)