Prayer Aroma

I do enjoy nice smelling aromas. I love the smell of my Columbian coffee brewing in the morning.  I love the smell of bacon cooking at breakfast. I love the smell of fresh cut grass in the spring time. I love the smell of certain flowers. I love the smell of a nice steak cooking on the grill. I love the smell of fresh-made brownies, cookies, etc.… I love to smell. I get frustrated when I have a sinus infection or a common cold and my nose doesn’t work properly.  I think a world without smells would be really weird.

I never really thought much about the Lord enjoying smells. I remember reading about how the aroma of the sacrifices would reach the heavens. I read this morning in the imagery and symbolism of John’s Revelation, that the prayers of the saints are like sweet smelling incense to God.  Check this out…

³ Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. ⁴ The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. (Revelation 8:3-4 NLT)

The reference to the prayers of the people being incense is also found earlier in John’s Revelation. Check this out….
And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. (Revelation 5:8 NLT)

My prayers lifted from wherever I am can be “sweet smelling incense” to the Lord. He loves to hear from my heart. He loves to hear the longings of my heart. I think it’s because when He hears the cry of my heart, He knows that my heart is devoted to Him. I am learning more clearly every day that I can’t do this life on my own, I need Him. I need Him every day and in every way. He wired me to love Him. He wired me to depend upon Him. He wired me to worship Him. He wired me to pray.  I came across this simple song of worship that happened when Matt Redman and his team were in the studio a few years ago recording. This little spontaneous prayer/song came out. I know it has blessed many.  Prayers Of The Saints Matt Redman

I want the prayers of my heart to be sweet smelling incense to the heart of God.

I want the songs that I sing to be sweet smelling incense to the heart of God.

I want the activities of my life to be sweet smelling incense to the heart of God.

Pressing On!

Dwayne