Year of Exposure Day 39: He hears and remembers!

“Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭141‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As discussed yesterday, David begins his prayer in Psalm 141 with crying out to the Lord.

In our opening scripture we see that in David’s cry to the Lord he asks that his prayer be acceptable to Him. David basically wants to make sure he’s gotten God’s attention.

In another place, David expresses this to the Lord as he is facing many enemies.

“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

David acknowledges that God takes note of his trouble. Indeed, the Lord puts the tears of the saints in His bottle, recorded in His place of remembrance.

In John’s vision as recorded in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, after the One Who was worthy to open the scroll, took the scroll in His hand, John sees this scene unfold:

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Indeed, the twenty-four elders have harps and golden bowls filled with the prayers of the saints! Interestingly, these prayers appear as incense before the throne of God and the Lamb!

As well, later on in the vision, John sees an angel offering the prayers of the saints with/as incense before the throne.

“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This action (offering the prayers of the saints) seems to set into motion the blowing of the seven trumpets, bringing death and destruction on the enemies of God, but culminating in the proclaiming of the Kingdom of God.

Looking back at our opening scripture, we see David referencing the lifting up of his hands as a sacrifice before the Lord.

Psalm 134 offers this exhortation:

“Behold, bless the Lord, All you servants of the Lord, Who by night stand in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the Lord. The Lord who made heaven and earth Bless you from Zion!”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭134‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Yes, the Lord is blessed when we lift our hands toward Him in praise, adoration, and submission.

Child of God, as you grapple with the stressors all around— whether their source is found in the world, our country, or maybe your own personal life—you can cry out to the Lord in confidence, knowing that your prayers are held in His remembrance; and the lifting of your hands, He receives as the sweet smelling savor of a sacrifice. Yes, God hears and He remembers.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!