On My Knees

I have a few days at home due to a "procedure" on my knee. I had a pretty complete makeover on my right knee as a result of a mishap 25 years ago on a ski slope. I am grateful for a gifted surgeon who replaced my ACL, repaired the meniscus, and cleaned up the cartilage. My knee will be better.

I heard the usual jokes about how I hurt my knee. The reason I didn't get it repaired almost three decades ago was the doctor advised me to wait for better technology "since I wasn't ever going to be a competitive athlete." The doctor back then was right on both accounts. Better technology has arrived and I have never been a competitive athlete.

I also heard the joke that my knee wore out due to my prayer life. I only wish that one was true.

I have had some down time. Some "knee above my heart" time. And some "still" time. I am one of those who really doesn't like pain meds. So, I have noticed a thing about pain. It is often (for me) mediated by stillness. If I can get really still and shut out all the noise, my body seems to relax enough for the pain to kind of drift away--or at least become tolerable. I also noticed that when I shut off the noise, my thoughts turn towards my Creator. It might be that is what makes the pain go away. I admit that prayer is sometimes something I do on the way to something.

I remember when I started running that it became a protracted prayer time--which was good. I hardly noticed that it became a replacement for stillness--which was bad. Prayer is so many things. It is adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication. It is praise, petition, penance. It is conversation, contrition, consolation. It is stillness. It is shutting all things off and losing the notion of time. It is getting lost in the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit Who has redeemed me. It is being with the One who has answered my pleas regarding my son, my daughter, my wife, my marriage, my ministry. It is stillness and peace and quiet and not being in a hurry.  It is a time of its own and not a time while driving, while running, while waiting for a meeting to start (or end ). :)

The obvious verse that is in my mind is Ps.46:10, "Be still and know that I am God." I also like the NASB version, "Cease striving and know that I am God."

I am thankful that it took a broken knee to remind me of the stillness that I can find when I am on my knees.