When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before
The Lamb.
Each one had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 5:8 (CSB)
When people love God and follow Him wholeheartedly, they are blessed with knowledge of the Spirit of God living in their very soul.
The Spirit plays many roles in a believer’s life, but the most special moment is when a person becomes aware of being drawn to salvation.
An example of this is in the life of the man, Cornelius. His story can be found in Acts 10:1-8.
Please treat yourself to this short passage. It is a story that will captivate you.
Cornelius was a Centurion in the Roman army. He was the leader of a regiment of soldiers. He’s important in God’s story as a Gentile whom God used to open the doors of His Church for other Gentile believers.
Cornelius, according to the scripture, was a Roman convert to Judaism. So, at the beginning of his story we know that he loves God and worships Him, but he and his family are still not born again. You can believe in God, but knowing Jesus is the way to redemption. Jesus is our access to God.
God used Peter to help reach Cornelius, and then Cornelius helped Peter in the work of the Church. The Holy Spirit always works to bring believers together in God’s story.
I’m telling you, this is such a great picture of God’s love and patience for all people.
Now, I am not going to get into the whole story. Suffice it to say, God just taught Peter a great lesson about not being prejudiced.
As the story continues, Cornelius had a vision of an angel sent from God…
“The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.” Acts 10:4 (CSB)
Have you ever sensed the pleasure of the Holy Spirit?
Sweet Honeysuckles
Can you imagine the joy of hearing an angel of God telling you that your prayers and deeds are loved and honored by God?
And this is where our devotional for today will segueway. Be sure to read all about Cornelius. It really is a great story.
Cornelius was a prayerful man who obeyed God and cared for others. His pure heart allowed him to have a special experience with the Lord.
He found out what you and I should know. That the honest prayers of believers are pleasing to God. Look again at our key verse. “…golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”. Revelation 5:8 (CSB)
Now, this is symbolic, but it holds meaning. God is glorified by our prayers and loves it when we pray—whether for others, for help, or in praise. He receives our prayers like a pleasant fragrance and delights in the prayers of His people.
Can you imagine how much he loves when sinners pray to receive salvation?
gotquestions.org1 has a wonderful explanation for all of this. They give us a picture that is breathtaking.
“…when we pray, it’s as if a golden bowl of incense is being carried to the very throne of God in heaven… If you pray for somebody’s salvation, that prayer is in the bowl. If you pray for the safety and relief of people after a natural disaster, that prayer is in the bowl. If you pray that God would conform you into the image of Jesus Christ, that prayer is in the bowl. Such prayers are well-pleasing to Him.”
Cornelius found grace to believe in Jesus. When he gave his heart to Jesus Cornelius began to honor God by sharing the Gospel with people in his world.
I hope you share Jesus with your family, friends and your small part of the world, too.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
- Got Questions “What are the prayers of the saints in Revelation 5:8
https://www.gotquestions.org/prayers-of-the-saints.html ↩︎
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 