BOWLS OF PRAYERS
Today's reading: Revelation 5-9
"And as 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--the prayers of God's people!" Revelation 5:8 NLT
The idea of bowls full of prayers this morning has stuck in my mind.
Now to be quite honest, it says golden bowls--the only golden bowls I've ever come in contact with were the little gold finger bowls at fancy restaurants. Too tiny for very many prayers!
Then there were some bowls my grandma had when we were kids that had a gold rim on them. They were brought out for special occasions. Christmas and Easter. They were big enough to hold mounds of mashed potatoes or piles of green beans. Still too tiny for the prayers of a saint!
I remember, I believe, a mustard-yellow, gold, one might call it, dough bowl used to make a big batch of Mom's dishpan cookies. It was a large bowl which would hold all the ingredients for the recipe which would make a huge number of cookies. Still not large enough for the prayers required to get one through a storm of life!
I'm a pray-er. I'm talking to God constantly. I cannot imagine any of the afore mentioned bowls being large enough to hold the prayers I've prayed to Him so far--or to hold the ones I'll have prayed by the end of my life.
I've determined in my heart and mind that it's going to require that the elders man-handle a golden vat the size of a battleship to hold the prayers I'm sending up.
What about you? Do you pray? Do you listen for answers? Do you pray expectantly? Do you know, without a doubt your prayers are being heard, being collected, being answered at just the right time?