Revelation 8: 3 Another angel, who had a
gold incense container, came and stood at the altar. He was given a lot of
incense to add to the prayers of all God's people and to offer it on the gold
altar that stands before the throne. 4 The smoke of the burning incense went up
with the prayers of God's people from the hands of the angel standing before
God. 5 Then the angel took the
incense container, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the
earth. There were rumblings and peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an
earthquake.
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Enraged at a neighbor, a sibling and I went close to the
kid’s house. He wore a brace to straighten his legs and was limited to his
yard. He kept saying the most irritating things. We caved in to his taunts and
decided to threaten him, from across the fence between us. Later in life, I
talked to him and realized he was a great person.
- I was mad at him and did not want the best for him.
- I heard hurtful things, and wanted him hurt.
- I did not have the right words to pray, or the right attitude.
John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw another angel who
received a gold incense container. The angel mixed the incense with the prayers
of GOD’s people, probably to make the ugliest prayers into something fragrant
to GOD. Both the incense and the prayers were added to the altar and offered to
GOD as a burnt offering, similar to the sacrifice of an old testament lamb to cleanse sin.
My Observations:
- GOD knows when I pray with the wrong motive.
- GOD knows when I pray selfish prayers.
- GOD loves when my prayers are purified by HIS SON’s forgiveness.
Even my prayers can stink! I mean, in the moment of hurt or
anger, I may not be willing or able to be as forgiving as GOD. I may want my
enemies hurt or at least, taught a lesson. I may put some things before GOD
that truly stinks and needs cleansing. GOD accounted for that.
HE takes the prayers I pray with the right motive and mixed
it in with my prayers that may have a selfish motive and cleanses them to be
acceptable to HIM. HE knows the root of the prayer and also knows that HE wants
all people saved. HE sees those who have tried to harm other people on purpose
and has a plan for that. My job is to align my prayers to GOD’s desires.
Challenge
- Do you think the prayers of GOD’s people that the writer mentions, contain words of hurt from people who do not know GOD and caused harm on purpose?
- What result do you notice?
- Will you align your prayers to the example of JESUS, who cared for HIS enemies and said “FATHER, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing?”
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