Face-falling

Gen. 17:3 Then Abram fell on his face. . . .

There’s a lot of “face falling” going on in the Bible.  Seems like just about every time God shows up, those present fall on their faces.  Now there’s a humorous side to this that I’m sure some Monte-Python-ish group will take advantage of sooner or later but until they do let’s consider why we don’t see much face-falling any more.

Now when God shows up it has to be a really big deal.  There doesn’t seem to be much warning with these visit.  Folks are just sitting around and “bazzinga” God’s right there, usually speaking to them.  That has got to be a shocker.

I’ve always wondered how they knew it was God.  In some instances there are attending circumstances that make this plain but in others it seems there’s just a voice.  How do they KNOW it’s God and not some neurological disjunction? 

I know, “what a stupid subject!” Right?   But bare with me.

Now God hasn’t “popped” in that I know of for some time.  I’m sure He could and would if He needed to but aqs far as we can be sure this hasn’t happened for a looooong time.

Does that mean face-falling is no longer needed?  Has it’s time past?  Is it passé – a thing for just “way back then?”

What changed?  Used to be the Word of God came and folks fell on their faces.  Now the Word of God comes and we check our watches, doodle on our bulletins or check our emails.  Not much face falling here.

What has changed?  Is the word of God less powerful?  Is the switch from a spoken form to the written form altered the impact and essentialness of the Word?  Do we only face-fall when we hear some disembodied voice?

Yes, this is very much tongue in cheek.  But I want to make a point.  It concerns me that I have not (as best as I can remember) ever fallen on my face when hearing the Word of God.  Does familiarity breed – if not contempt – a certain blaze attitude and reaction towards the Word?  Having a plethora or styles, types and translations of the Word have we become somewhat presumptuous in our dealing with it?

Though from my perspective a little excessive, the Jewish attitude toward their Torah scrolls still carries that “face-falling” attitude.  The production of a Torah (all of them hand-written) is arduous.  From the material it’s written on to the ink it’s written with, every aspect carries a heavy dose of awareness that one is dealing with the Word of God. 

A Torah may be read but it is never touched by hands.  If it is damaged it is retired.  If it is to be discarded it is often buried reverently.  There is, in the Jewish rabbinical tradition an imposed reverence for the actual written document.  Though it may appear to border on worship of the Torah itself the rules about the Torah scroll insure that it – and the Word it contains – will be handled reverently.

The Word comes – folks fall on their faces.  Not today.  Whether from the lips of God of the lips of man The Word is The Word.  Where else can we go for the words of eternal life?  And yet do we go?  When we do go, how do we go?  While we’re in the Word do we really appreciate where we are?

Ritual isn’t bad.  Ritual can serve to remind us of the import and meaning of what we’re about.  In the fellowship with which I worship we stand when the sermon passage is read.  Why?  Because we’re fixing to engage and be engaged by the Word of God.  This ritual marks a change in circumstance and should hail a change in attitude.  The Word of God is going to be preached – this is critical – this is important – this is (or should be) little different than hearing from Him directly. 

Face-falling reflects a very appropriate attitude towards hearing the Word of God.  It was and it a good thing.  It demonstrates humility, submission, acceptance, worship and receptivity.  It’s also what we do when we’re utterly overwhelmed.

I’m not encouraging folks to take up face-falling.  Now do I think it ought to be an imposed ritual in our worship.  But I do think we need to ask ourselves when was the last time we were tempted to do some face-falling.  When was the last time we were powerfully aware of our need for and obligation to; humility, submission, acceptance, worship and receptivity.

I’m not writing this because I think you or they need to work on your/their: humility, submission, acceptance, worship and receptivity.  Rather because I need to work on mine and maybe others do as well.  I know I haven’t even felt like doing a face-fall in some time.  Maybe I need to at least be tempted.

Gen. 17:3 Then Abram fell on his face. . . .