Going Way Past The Ceiling

 

...golden bowls of incense,

which are the

    prayers of the saints.

         Revelation 5. 8

(When you think that your prayers

     don't go past the ceiling,

remember this verse.

Our prayers are so precious         

             to God,

He treasures each word.

He keeps out prayers

     in sacred beautiful bowls

     before Himself.

God continues to respond,

often in unexpected, unnoticed,

       and timeless ways.

His response gets

         all over everything,

and He never answers

     in singular outcomes.

Our prayers are all

         somehow connected.

Through prayer,

God may or may not

      change the situation at hand,

but He always changes us

            in the praying.

Incense was an act of worship

    --as are our prayers--

coming before His Presence.

And the aroma of prayer

              lingers far into

      our deepest nights.)

O LORD,

Help us to never discount

  Your power manifested

  in our prayers.

Thank You that

    we can come before You

with our joys and sorrows,

with the good news

   and what we cannot understand.

Help us to not just seek

          Your hand,

but Your Presence

             face to face.

May we too treasure

    our times in being with You,

not checking off "answered prayers,"

but abiding with You.