Spiritual posture is not concerning our position but it is about our coming before God. In her book, IntercessHER: The Power, Posture, and Purpose of a Praying Woman, Lydasia Rayanna Harris explains that the key to a successful intimacy with God is humility, surrender, and reverence. The incident of the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus is one of the few passages in Scripture which thinkeneth the power of this.

Her movements were silent, but deep. Her pose spoke volumes that no words could.

A Woman Willing to Be Seen in Her Worship

In Luke 7, the woman moves into a room that she definitely does not want to be in. Her fame is her foremost, and judgment fills the gap. However, she goes beyond the thoughts of other people and comes to Jesus. She does not speak she kneels. She weeps. She worships.

Her religious attitude is reflected on how she is ready to stoop down. As IntercessHER points out, it is not a performance of prayer, but the position. The posture of this woman showed repentance, reverence and trust. She carried her failure to Jesus with no explanation of defense.

Worshiping starts when we cease to take care of our image and begin to give up our hearts.

Tears, Oil, and the Language of Surrender

The woman had gone ahead to anoint the feet of Jesus with tears, dried them with her hair and poured over them the expensive perfume. Each act revealed surrender. Cries symbolized repentance. Hair symbolized humility. The oil was a symbol of dignity and self-sacrifice.

It is observed in IntercessHER that in what we pour out we put our valuables. The woman gave her dearest thing, which proves that it is not free to worship. Her pose stated that Jesus was more important than her reputation, comfort and approval.

It is not in what we say that we get to discover spiritual posture but rather in what we are ready to give away.

Posture That Offends Religion but Pleases God

As the woman was worshiping, people in the leadership criticized. They doubted her rightfulness and the judgment of Jesus. But it was Jesus who defended her and not her past. He knew her pose of a prayer.

This is the point where a great fact of IntercessHER comes in: God answers the heart, not title. The humility of her position was more than all the charges which could be brought against her. Jesus explained that her sins were not forgiven due to her former life, but her faith.

Giving up an attitude can be an insult to humans but it never disrespects God.

Worship That Transforms Identity

The woman came in with her label of sin, but she went out, verified by Jesus. Her pose did not simply convey worship it changed her identity. Jesus made her dignity known publicly, which taught that humility is welcome to healing.

When a woman has herself in the right place in front of God, He rearranges her narrative, as IntercessHER teaches. The surrendering position leaves room to grace, forgiveness and restoration.

God does not desire perfection He hears humility.

The Posture That Still Moves Heaven

This is what the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus teaches us, that spiritual posture is important. Low before God is the key to intimacy and change. She can teach us to remember that the worst place to be in the world is at the feet of Jesus yet still the best place to be in terms of faith.

In case you want to be more connected with God, consider your posture. When a woman prostrates her heart, the heavens will hear, as IntercessHER sings so beautifully.