Your Prayers Are Held in Heaven

Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people." Rev. 5:8b

The prayers we pray are precious to God. In Revelation 5 a remarkable scene is described for us in vivid detail. 

The scene opens with the image of God on his throne holding a scroll with seven seals in his right hand. There is sadness and despair because no one in all the universe is worthy enough to break the seals and open the scroll to reveal what is written. Then a lamb "looking like it had been slain" steps forward and takes the scrolls to open them. 

The response in the throne room of heaven is dramatic. The four living creatures and the 24 elders bow down in worship. In their hands they hold golden bowls of incense which contain all the prayers we have ever prayed. 

In Revelation 5 we learn that our prayers are so precious they are kept in golden bowls and furthermore they give off a fragrance that God really likes. I don't know if some prayers smell better than others or not. But I am sure that when we pray in accord with what God wants to accomplish, these prayers smell good to God.

Jesus said: "Go and make disciples." Today you are praying for people who are disciple-makers. Your prayers for them are precious. They are stored in golden bowls (gold is the sign of purity) and they give off a fragrance that is pleasing to God. And we can be assured that God will respond because we are praying in cooperation with what He wants to see done.