Step Up and Go Low

A ski injury, followed by laying my own flooring, aggravated my knee problem and left me with chronic swelling. Yet throughout the past year, the burden of prayer continued to stir my heart after God called me to step up in faith, in prayer, and in what He had asked me to do (see my blog post, Stepping Up to the Plate, August 17, 2025).

During a recent prayer meeting, I felt I needed to try kneeling again. My knee still hurt, but I remained on my knees for a minute, believing in complete healing as I continued to pray in faith. Healing was not immediate, but I persevered. Today, I no longer have any issues with my knee. I cannot explain it other than a miraculous healing from God.

On Sunday, April 26, 2026, our pastor said, Step up and go low.

He referenced John 13:1–17, where Jesus, knowing He would soon be betrayed, humbled Himself, knelt, and washed the feet of His disciples. He set the example that we are to serve one another with humility.

One way we serve others is through prayer.

Pastor Natalie Breckenridge of NEA Hub Church said:

Prayer is not passive. It is an intervention. It is active. When an intercessor opens their mouth, things change. When an intercessor kneels, atmospheres shift. When an intercessor weeps, heaven responds. They push back darkness that no one else even realizes was coming. They wake up with a burden they can’t explain. They carry names in prayer that no one knows they’re carrying.

God does not need us to intercede; He chooses to involve us. And that choice is purposeful.

When you intercede for others, something else happens: you become part of the answer, not merely a bystander. Over the years, I have heard and witnessed countless prayers being answered, some in ways that could only be described as miraculous.

So why not pray? Why not get on your knees?

In 1 Samuel 1:9–28, we see Hannah pouring out the anguish of her heart before God at the tabernacle. She prayed with such intensity that Eli the priest initially misunderstood her.

Then there is James, the brother of Jesus, who was said to have knees like a camel's because of the calluses formed from spending so much time in prayer. His life reflected the heart of James 5:13–20; a life devoted to fervent prayer.

When we kneel, we acknowledge God's sovereignty and our complete dependence on Him. It is an act of submission and a posture of worship, gratitude, honor, and reverence before our Heavenly Father.

Years ago, during a prayer meeting, I heard something that had stayed with me. When someone unexpectedly comes to mind, don't assume it’s merely a passing thought. Rather than reminiscing or talking about them with others, consider that God may be prompting you to pray for them, whether you like them or not.

If you have ever felt a burden to pray that did not make sense, do not ignore it—respond.

First Timothy 2:1 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.” This is not optional. Intercession is part of the believer’s calling, and it is not reserved for a select few. All Christians are instructed to pray for all people.

Sometimes we pray and pray without seeing results or hearing the outcome. Don’t be discouraged. You may never know the battles that were averted because you prayed. You may never see the lives that were touched, the hearts that were softened, the prodigals who returned, or the circumstances that were changed. The world may never see the prayers you pray, but heaven records every one offered in faith.

So, step up in faith, go low in prayer, and trust God to do what only He can do.