Prayer: A Sacrifice?

[karen_trustlord]

********************************************************
********************************************************
Aug 27,2004
Prayer: A Sacrifice?
By Carolyn Vanderraad



Psalms 141:2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;

In a recent Bible Study, our minister went through the book of Malachi, which tells us how upset and disappointed God was with the defiled sacrifices offered by Israel. The minister said that part of the sacrifices we offer to God are our prayers.

It made me wonder what is there about prayer that is a sacrifice? What do we give up of value when we pray?

One thing is our attention, our whole heart. For some of us, focusing is a real effort. However, it is how our spirit reaches out to God, just as we would reach a hand out to a friend. We also give our time, which is our life. Sometimes it is just a moment when something pops to mind or a prayer over a meal, but usually our prayers are longer and follow the example Christ gave.

We know these sacrifices are pleasing to God. In Revelation 5:8; 8:4 and Psalms 141:2 our prayers are described as sweet incense to God and likened to an evening sacrifice. In plain language, He enjoys hearing from us. So what we "sacrifice" comes back to us "pressed down, shaken together, and running over. (Luke 6:38)" This makes our prayer life a real joy and hardly something we would think of as a sacrifice.

---------





Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.

********************************************************
********************************************************

 

[brinny]

I love this. Prayers rising up like incense before our Abba. Wow! Then there's the song that has these words "....sacrifice of praise."

The word sacrifice....wow...never thought of prayer as sacrifice. What a beautiful image....the incense and how much prayer is like it....wafting up to God...and it has a smell to God? That's awesome!

As I was reading your post I was thinking how 'tedious' prayer used to be for me. I'd form the 'prayer position', shut my eyes, and stumble over what to say. It was torture. In the back of my mind I'd be thinking...is the 15 minutes over yet? Then my mind would wander to what I needed to get done, and everything else under the sun. Then I'd avoid it like the plague.

As God rocked my world and shook me to my very core, I learned what prayer really is. I found myself pouring it all out just like David did. Oh how I could relate to him! How I still can, and how his heartcries have matched my own.

I understand suffering, angst and despair now....the purpose of it. It is to drive us, get us to running like mad to the only One Who can help us. When there's no time to wonder about what to say, that's when one learns what prayer is.....

 

[helmikaarina]

In the wreath of Christ - prayerbeads there is a bead which is named "bead of sacrifice" and another name for the same bead is "bead of Christian love". And one of the bead's meanings is that praying is invisible work. You can love your neighbor by praying for him/her. It's a sacrifice. You give your time, thoughts and words, your prayer for him/her.

But when I think praying as a sacrifice to God shouldn't I remember that I have nothing which I have not recieved from God and I cannot give him anything which isn't already his? Everything is.

 

[fieldmouse3]

Prayer has always been the "easy" part of being a Christian for me...I've never really had a problem making time for it, and I enjoy doing it. Still...sometimes I think my prayers are a little selfish, and your post reminded me to work on that!

 

[brinny]

Sometimes I wonder....is prayer that longing, aching in your heart, that 'homesickness' for God? Missing Him? When there are no words to express what is in your heart. When you just wanna climb in His lap and cling to Him and never let go? Is that prayer?

 

[helmikaarina]

Sometimes I wonder....is prayer that longing, aching in your heart, that 'homesickness' for God? Missing Him? When there are no words to express what is in your heart. When you just wanna climb in His lap and cling to Him and never let go? Is that prayer?

I'll say: Yes it is. It really is. I think we need to do so if we want to have something to sacrifice.

Like Mary carries Jesus-baby in her arms, so that he'll get strength to carry our pains and sins, our task is give ourselves to be carried by God and his love so that we recieve strength to carry burdens's of our neighbors.

 

[karen_trustlord]

Sometimes I wonder....is prayer that longing, aching in your heart, that 'homesickness' for God? Missing Him? When there are no words to express what is in your heart. When you just wanna climb in His lap and cling to Him and never let go? Is that prayer?

I too think this is a form of prayer. Prayer IS what is in your heart. It reminds me of these verses!

Romans 8:25-27 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.