HH, Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div
Let us turn in our Bibles for the Scripture Reading —In the Book Revelation 8:1-5 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Revelation 8:4
In or during a fire ritual. Worshipers were invited to write their prayers on sticks of wood. Amid chanting and the beat of drums, those sticks became the fuel for the ritual fire. The rising smoke symbolized the rising prayers of the worshipers to the “Unmovable Wisdom King.”
The scene will remind you of the worship described in Revelation 8, in which the twenty-four elders, symbolizing the church, hold bowls of incense representing the prayers of the people. An angel, holding a censer, offers the prayers up to God.
People everywhere have an inner need to pray. So, what’s the difference between the prayers of Christ’s people and the prayers offered through that fire ceremony? The difference is that Christian prayer is offered in the name of the true God. It is the prayer offered to the Father, through the Son, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer is essentially a conversation with God. Prayer as a human ritual isn’t enough. Our prayer needs to be offered to the God who invites our fellowship, welcomes our praise, and is delighted to show repentant children the joy of his forgiving grace. Prayer needs to be directed to the God who truly listens to his children.
Prayer is so important that we need to practice it “continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Let Us Pray
Lord, thank you for hearing our prayers. May they be a sweet offering of praise and intercession to you, our true and Loving God. May we find the power and understanding of what prayer means. in whose Name we pray. Amen.
