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Do you ever consider that your
prayers
may end up as something real and
tangible in heaven?
Message
#4 (of 20) from the PrayerPower radio series
When Peter wrote that as Christians we are part of God’s holy priesthood, he said we would be offering "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." [1 Peter 2:5] In the Old Testament days, one of the key roles of a priest was to present different kinds of sacrifices. One was a "grain offering," a sacrifice that combined fine flour with oil and incense. When it burned, it would make "an aroma pleasing to the Lord." [Leviticus 2:2-3] We go before God’s throne today in prayer, and our spiritual sacrifice of prayer, representing others before Him, pleases God in the same way. In Psalm 141 we read, "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." [Psalm 141:2]Our prayers are transformed into something tangible in heaven. In Revelation 5 we read that the living creatures and the 24 elders were "holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." [Revelation 5:8] And in Revelation 8: "Another angel...was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand." [Revelation 8:3-4]Do we think of our prayers as something God actually sees? Do they fill many golden bowls? Does He take them in as sweet aroma?
Pray with me now -- Father, may our prayers be all You desire them to be, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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