Zechariah 2:1-3:10;
Revelation 13:1-18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20
Do you think about your prayers very often? I confess, I
don’t. I don’t really take time to reflect on my prayer life. I’m often in a
hurry, quickly throwing out prayers while jogging or bustling around the house.
When I do stop to think about my prayers, I frequently get discouraged, feeling
like they are repetitive and uninteresting.
That’s why I loved our Psalm reading today: “O LORD, I call
upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! Let my prayer
be counted as incense before you and the lifting up of my hands as the evening
sacrifice!” (Ps. 141:1-2) I especially love the part about my prayers
coming before the LORD as incense – isn’t that a great word picture? Our
prayers, rising up to God, smelling sweet and beautiful to Him. Ponder that
another minute – your prayers are lovely to God. They are refreshing and
precious and desired. Isn’t that good news? Isn’t that reassuring and
comforting? Doesn’t that serve to reinforce how loved we are? And while we
don’t have evening sacrifice anymore (thankfully!) the way the Israelites did,
the idea that it pleases God to see our hands lifted in praise to Him still
rings true. I love worshiping God, wherever I can – in my car, in my kitchen,
at church – wherever. And He loves it, too.
Since it’s Christmas time, I had on my Pandora station set
to Christmas carols this morning as the kids and I drove over to my mom’s
house. Handel’s “Messiah” came on and, man, was it beautiful. When they came to the
part that goes, “And his name shall be called, Wonderful,” it got really loud and
it was so powerful it almost brought tears to my eyes. Had I not been driving,
I would have lifted my hands in praise. When the song ended, my daughter called
from the back row of our Pilot, “That was my favorite song ever. I wish it
could have gone on and on and on.” God delights in this; He rejoices over our
praise.
As we head further into the Christmas season, let’s think of
our prayers as incense, wafting up to the LORD as precious and beautiful aromas.
He delights in us, especially as we delight in Him.
- Esther McCurry
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