Revelation 5:8 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 the saints.

This whole scene is one of almost unimaginable glory, with various parts of the chapter memorialized in song by Handel and others. I can’t read it without singing, at least internally! However, as I read it just now one little phrase, that doesn’t appear in any of the music I know, jumped out at me. (It’s actually the sentence that caused this passage to be included in this series of readings on prayer.) This is where it says the incense is the prayers of the saints. It struck me that incense is something to be offered to God, that has value in and of itself. We get all wrapped up in what to pray and how to pray and when to pray, but this would indicate the fundamental issue is that we pray. Jesus made it clear that we aren’t to think God will hear us because of the quantity of our words. (Matthew 6:7) However, that’s hardly the same as saying it doesn’t matter if we pray. Prayer doesn’t benefit God especially, but it pleases Him because it is a matter of our focusing our hearts on Him. What we can offer to God is prayer, praise, and obedience, period. Everything else we have is from Him to begin with, to it is returning to Him what was already His. That’s not to say financial offerings, for example, are meaningless, but it is to say they are important for our spiritual attitude rather than because they meet God’s need. Prayer is a joy to me, and it increases my joy to realize that my prayers are pleasing to Him.

I’m still learning about prayer, and I expect to continue to do so until I stand before the throne, just like the elders in this passage. In many ways I don’t pray enough, because I let any of a number of things distract me from my focus on God. At the same time, I must not forget the first time I heard God speak to me in what might as well have been an audible voice (though I don’t think anyone else would have heard it had they been present). I had been praying earnestly for God to speak to me, basically non-stop for several minutes, and then when I paused for breath He said, “Well then, shut up.” I was caught so off guard that I had to laugh! I need to pray listening prayers, offering my words but being expectant and receptive of His. As a pastor, perhaps of my deepest longing is for those in my care to learn to pray, receive what God is saying, (especially through His Word) and then act on it. I’m not 100% in that myself, so I’ve got to keep pressing in for more, but it breaks my heart to see Christians who don’t have a growing, intimate relationship with their Savior. It’s so available to them, if they will only choose to accept it.

Father, recently I’ve been struck by how many people claim the name of Jesus but really follow their own imaginations rather than Him. Keep me from doing the same. May my prayers, praise, and obedience be fully acceptable and pleasing to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!