Siblings
How much time do we genuinely dedicate to prayer? Rather, what is our prayer life like? I’m not trying to judge, they’re are times when I struggle to have a prayer life. When I struggle to maintain my relationship with God. Sometimes, it’s the prayers of others that sustain us. But, we must also spend time in prayer. As a gospel artist once wrote, ‘we can’t keep living on somebody else’s angels’… Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Revelation 5:8 NIV
[8] And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
Golden Bowls of … Our Prayers
Wow!
Each time I read this Nougat, I have a wow reaction. For, unless we don’t count ourselves as God’s people, those prayers include ours. God collects our prayers. What we say matters to God. Can we allow that to sink in for a moment – do you also feel the awesomeness of that fact? Or did the euphoria die down a we thought about our prayer life?
Prayer Moment
Let’s take a moment right now to speak with God earnestly if we haven’t yet done so today, and even if we have.
Digging Deeper
The frequency of our prayer life aside – this Nougat offers a rare insight into what happens when we pray. Let’s chew a bit slower …
The preceding verses indicate that there was a problem in the heavenly realm. There was a scroll which was to be revealed to John, and none of the heavenly being was authorised to take the scroll. It’s an interesting pericope, because when they finally realised that the Lion of the tribe of Judah was authorised to take the scroll, it was the Slain Lamb that appeared.
Hope was restored through the Lion, Who’s also the Slain Lamb. The elders burst into praise and began to worship, prostrating themselves before the Lamb. They recognised Y’shua’s sovereignty, automatically assuming a posture of servitude and praise. They knew the truth of our previous realisation – the Conquering Lion is the Lamb from the doorpost sacrifice, and the Son of God Most High, our Messiah.
Not did they approach the Lamb empty-handed. They had their harps and their incense for worship. Now, we may know that incense was used for sacrifices. It added the sweet flavour to burnt meat presented on the altar, and some say that incense rises straight to Heaven when burnt.
Siblings, when we offer prayers up to God, especially sacrificial prayers, they are a sweet-smelling savour. It is perhaps why the psalmist cried, Let my prayer be set before You as incense (see Psalm 141); thus becoming part of the sacrifice that is pleasing unto God. Lord, may our prayers be received as incense.
On an aside, as I type, I’m struck with the thought that Cain’s sacrifice might not have been accompanied by the incense of prayer. This isn’t a fact, but worth thinking about. When we approach God’s Throne in worship, do we ensure that our sacrifice is properly and pleasantly presented? Perhaps it’s time to revise and revive our prayer life.
Prayer Pause
Dear Lord, teach us the posture, the pleasure, and the sacrifice of prayer, so that our prayers may be received by You. In the name of Y’shua Jesus, we pray, amen.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
