Ask anyone who knows me well, and they’ll tell you, I’m about as frugal as they come. Which is why I’ve never been one to burn candles. Which is also why it made me kind of sad to savor the small red currant candle that perfumed my friend Helen’s entire home when I visited a few years ago. I knew it was an extravagance in which I would not indulge. And I really wanted to.
When I found a red currant travel tin candle for just ten dollars several months later, I grabbed it.
But then I was reluctant to burn it… because I didn’t want to waste it.
And that is why for so long I had so many candles that were given to me as gifts that I hardly ever burned.
I didn’t want to use them up.
All that changed for me last fall.
I did not want to go to the conference where Rev. John Sartelle was preaching. I’d wanted to hear him, but I was going through a particularly painful time, and I didn’t have the liberty to talk to anyone outside our immediate family about it. As a person who is typically bubbly and friendly, and as a pastor’s wife, but who is also as transparent as the cleanest window, let’s just say, I did NOT want to go. I’d been crying most of every day to the Lord. Most of my prayers were tears. The ones that weren’t tears were mostly psalms.
John Sartelle’s sermon that Saturday morning was “Do Your Prayers Shake the Earth?” What resonated most in my heart was from Revelation 8:4, which says “The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.” And at the end of verse 8 in Revelation 5, it says that each of the creatures who were falling down before the Lamb “were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
As I meditated on the fact that our prayers, my prayers, go up to heaven and land in a golden bowl before the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ Himself, I could imagine God saying, just like I do with the red currant candle, “Mmmmmm, that smells good.” And it made me cry all the more. Tears of joy. That God loves to hear me pray. That my prayers actually smell good to Him. That they are a fragrant aroma to Him.
And then I did a Bible search on incense and found 146 references. Most have to do with burning fragrant incense before the Lord, and then verses describe a special recipe and a special altar and how the incense could only be burned by a special anointed priest.
How different that is from now! Revelation 1:6 says that Christ has “made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father…” So, we have a responsibility to pray. It is a privilege that only we who are His priests have.
Hebrews 9:2-4a describes what it was like: “A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense…”
Think about the Most Holy Place. Hebrews 9:7 says, “Only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people committed in ignorance.”
BUT, when Christ came, as v. 12 says, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves: but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”
And then Hebrews 10:19 is the clincher: “Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,” and Hebrews 4:16 says we can “boldly approach the throne of grace.”
Imagine if the mayor of your city, or the governor of your state, or even the president invited you to his office and said, “What would you like me to do?” First off, I’d be a little in awe walking in. Really? You’re really asking me? And after the shock, I’d be so excited, I would make it count.
Even better than the president of the United States, as adopted children of God, through Christ He has given us access into His throne room.
And He LOVES to hear us pray! Our prayers smell good to Him. Our prayers are incense to God!
But, because we are sooooo weak, prayer is HARD WORK.
At least it is for me. My mind wanders. I get sleepy. I’m afraid to get too specific. I’m afraid to say what I really want.
But God knows.
So, here are a few things I’ve found to be helpful:
A prayer journal – writing my prayers to God helps me get specific and real and pour my heart out. I’m totally honest in these notebooks—they’re just between God and me. Every now and then, He leads me to share something with someone, but for the most part it’s pretty boring stuff that stays just between the two of us.
The Bible – praying God’s Word back to Him so enriches my devotion to Him. My husband has encouraged me in my Bible reading to always ask myself, “What does this teach me about God?” So, as I ask God that question, I pray back to Him in praise and thanksgiving what I see. And I also pray in confession sin and things that convict me from His Word.
Written prayers of others such as The Valley of Vision and A Way to Pray – sometimes I simply pray these prayers making them my own; other times they just get my thoughts going
A prayer list – helps me remember to pray for folks
And my new favorite prayer tool: a fragrant candle. Each time I start my time with the Lord, as I light a candle and smell that wonderful fragrance, I imagine Him taking in the perfume of my prayers and saying, “Mmmmmm. That smells good.” And it helps me want to pray.
Candles have now become a budgeted item. Favorite candle fragrances (so far): Frazier Fir by WoodWick, Red Currant and Island Grapefruit by Votivo, Mango Dragon Fruit by Bath & Body, Macintosh Apple by Yankee
May my prayer be set before You like incense… Psalm 141:2a