Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Prayer: Prayers as Incense


Ah, Lord God, it is precious indeed to know that our prayers rise from golden bowls before Your throne as incense. I am drawn to consider Christ's High Priestly Prayer and how it continues to be honored down through the ages: that we would be one with You, even as He is One. You, O God, are not concerned about our comfort, our little plans, or our ideas of how things should work. You do not come and ask, Do you want to go through this bereavement, this upset? You allow these things to touch us for Your own purpose. The things we are going through either make us sweeter, better and nobler; or they make us critical, fault-finding and insistent on our own way. We become either better or bitter, depending entirely on our relationship with You. If we say, Thy will be done, we release the power of Christ's prayer into our heart and life, knowing that You are working in accordance with Your own wisdom. Continue to work in our hearts and lives, O Sovereign God, until we are one with You.


To think that You have made us joint-heirs with Jesus is overwhelming. This relationship means we share by inheritance all that is Yours, O Creator of heaven and earth. We have the right to appropriate Your creativity, grace, forgiveness, wonder-working, cleansing power on behalf of others. Use whatever circumstance, whatever means necessary to make us one with You. May we fulfill our designed destiny. You, Lord Jesus, ransomed us from every tribe, language, people and nation to make us a Kingdom of priests who serve God. Worthy are You, O Lord, to receive power and wealth, wisdom and honor, glory and blessing, and praise both now and forever. Amen (Revelation 5; John 17; Mark 11.24; Job 17.1, 11)

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