I lit the purple candle with lavender scent and watched as a thin trail of smoke rose from the wick. My eyes followed it up to the point the smoke became enveloped by the atmosphere in my kitchen. The smoke seemingly vanished, but the aroma of lavender permeated my home all day. I like to light my advent candles early on Sundays. I love the way my house smells after they are lit.
“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:27 NLT
http://bible.com/116/gen.1.27.nlt
“Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.”
Revelation 8:3-4 NLT
http://bible.com/116/rev.8.3-4.nlt
“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. And the LORD was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.”
Genesis 8:20-21 NLT
http://bible.com/116/gen.8.20-21.
Our prayers rise as incense before God. Pray without ceasing. God is pleased with the aroma of our prayers.
“While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.” Luke 1:10 NIV.
Zechariah stepped behind the curtain and entered the Holy Place. It was his duty that day. He trimmed and lit the wicks of the fragrant incense. Maybe he heard the murmurings and whisperings of the prayers from the great crowd gatherers outside of the Holy place. He would have watched the smoke of the incense rise just as I do each Sunday as I light my Advent Candles. In Exodus 30 God promised Moses that He would meet with him at this place in front of the Altar of Incense. That is just what He did that day as Zechariah lit the lamps and ignited the incense.
Look up Psalm 141:2, Revelation 8:3-4, and Genesis 8:20-21. What does God’s Word say about prayer
Take time today to pray. Picture your prayer rising as the smoke. Know God hears each prayer.
At times when I pray and I don’t have a clear understanding of what God wants me to do, whether to wait or to act or to do nothing at all, I’ll ask for a “fleece” moment. Just as Gideon did when he was wanting to make sure what he was doing falls into Gods will. So when you don’t know which way to go, which path to take ask God for a “fleece” moment and at least for me he had provided me with one every single time.
Yes and Amen
God does want to direct our paths