And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 5:8
I have been recently moved by the account here and in Revelation 8:1-5. These two passages give us a glimpse into heaven and where your prayers are stored. They are in golden bowls on the golden altar (8:3) and presented to God on His throne.
Your prayers don’t just “disappear.” They are recorded and held in golden bowls, the most precious vessel possible, until He answers them with true justice and mercy.
Let that sink in for a minute. Picture your prayers of tears and heartaches, longings and fears all preserved, waiting for the ultimate and final resolution. Hang on to that truth. It will be of great comfort in difficult days.
Charles Spurgeon said,
“…whenever there is a heart big with sorrow, or a lip quivering with agony, or a deep groan, or a penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open; He marks it down in the registry of His memory. He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there shall be a precious fragrance springing up therefrom.”
During our prayer emphasis month, we have considered four aspects of prayer: the privilege of prayer, the power of prayer, persistence in prayer, and the permanence of prayer. These are good reminders for us every day as we bring our joys and concerns to the Lord.
We hope you found a prayer partner for the month and for months to come! If you haven’t done that yet, reach out to someone this week. Whether it is your spouse, child, parent, sibling, or friend, you will find those times some of the richest you have ever experienced.
Chris is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL (M.Div.) and has served as a pastor in churches in the Midwest. Chris and his wife Marty have been married for nearly 40 years. Chris currently teaches the Fundamentals of the Faith class and serves in the Prayer Ministry here at Faith Bible Church.
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