Every Knee Will Bow

It was May 2023 when my husband, Dave and I were mulching around the shrubbery at our home when I first felt the “twinge”. With each successive day the twinge in my knee grew more and more disabling. The enjoyment of walking became a thing of the past.  Cortisone shots and gel shots gave only temporary relief.  Finally, after nearly a year of treatment, my orthopedist said “if you were my mom or my aunt, I would tell you that you need a new knee.” And so, with calendar in hand I scheduled my left knee for replacement.

October 19, 2024 became “the date.” Everything was scheduled around that date. Countdowns began. But the discomfort continued to worsen and I finally broke down and asked if there were any cancellations on the surgeon’s schedule.  If so, could I please have that date?  Three times they called me to place me earlier in his calendar. We settled on August 29th.

With family and friends praying for my well-being I headed to the hospital for an early morning surgery.  I was even blessed to have one of my Zoom small group friends come to see me in the pre-op room to pray with me. I felt at ease and thankful. All went according to plan and I was sent home later that day to begin the daunting task of recovery.

The next day I headed to PT for my first experience with what was to come.  Fortunately, again I was blessed.  A long-time friend of mine has a son who is a physical therapist.  He along with his teammates continue to give me great care and encouragement (along with a little “discomfort”) as I learn to bend this new knee.

This brings me to the point of this post. For well over 67 years my left knee faithfully bent with little fanfare.  I could run, I could jump, I could get down on my hands and knees to mop the floor and more importantly I could kneel by my bed to pray.  How often I did this was often subject to the needs at hand.  I found myself kneeling to pray when I was at my worst.  There was that feeling of humility before my God that kneeling produced. The question I now have is “why only when you were at your worst, Carol?”

I recognize now that bending my knee comes at a cost.  It hurts.  Not as much now as it did in late August but it is still something I am very mindful of.  When my therapist stretches me for range of motion, I recognize just how much I took for granted before.

And bending my knee before my Father also comes at a cost.  While at the moment I cannot kneel by my bed I am bending my knee mentally as I come to Him for every need that I have no matter how great or how small.  He is the Sovereign One who reigns in majesty over all of my life.  He knows my frame.  He knows my weaknesses.  He knows my needs.  Even before I ask them – He has it all in hand.  I rest in that.

There will come a day when EVERY knee will bow.  There will be no question.  No matter the condition of the knee we will bow in humility before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  Will there be pain with the “bend?”  I have to believe that for those who are in Christ we will bow gladly.  But for those who know Him not and have rejected the gift of the salvation He provides the pain will not only be obvious but it will be permanent.

So as my knee rehab journey continues, I will use it as an illustration to myself that bending the knee is not only a physical gift but it is a spiritual one as well.  It reminds me of just Who is in control and how great my need of His grace and forgiveness.