The Fragrant Aroma Of The Saints’ Prayers
He [another angel] was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.
Revelation 8:3
A young child, enamored with his teacher, gave her three daisies with this note attached:
Advertisement
These flowers will fade and die,
But you will smell forever.
In your prayer life, as in poetry, it’s the thought—and the fragrance—that counts. John refers to the “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people” (Revelation 5:8). The angel in Revelation 8 is seen bringing those sweet offerings of adoration before the Father, as William R. Newell explains.
WALK WITH WILLIAM R. NEWELL
“This angel is publicly to bring before heaven three things:
“First, that the prayers of the saints are ever before God: a most blessed and solemn truth!
“Second, that the incense (ever in Scripture setting forth the power of Christ’s atonement acting upon God), representing our Lord’s person and work at Calvary, added in due time to the prayers of all the saints, makes them effectual before God.
“Third, that God’s judgment is in a sense the answer to ‘your kingdom come’ (Matthew 6:10), which the saints of all ages have prayed. No other answer could be given, since earth has rejected the rightful King!”
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Father, all too often I neglect my times of prayer, not realizing the eternal impact of those heavenly conversations.
To know that my prayers ascend to you as a fragrant aroma causes me to think more of what I pray and how I pray. To know that you hear and answer causes me to wonder at the relationship I enjoy with you. To know that my prayers help to usher in your kingdom makes me bolder to pray according to your will. Your kingdom come!
In the name of him who taught me to pray. Amen.
