Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense;
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2
It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai
for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord. Numbers 28:6
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
The New Testament reflects the Old.
And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests:
and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof,
and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof;
and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar,
to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: Leviticus 2:2
And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer;
and there was given unto him much incense,
that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints
upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar,
and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings,
and lightnings, and an earthquake. Revelation 8:3-5
The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof,
and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me,
This is the table that is before the Lord. Ezekiel 41:22
He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day
an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said,
What is it, Lord?
And he said unto him,
Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Acts 10:3-4
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar:
it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour:
all the fat is the Lord’s. Leviticus 3:16
All the fat is the Lord’s.
But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus
the things which were sent from you,
an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. Philippians 4:18
Our prayers are precious to God.
The priests in the Old Testament honored the Lord in particular ways.
They had to wear certain clothing and wash before they entered
the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was.
These actions demonstrate to us how we cannot enter His presence
without removing the world, at least setting it aside,
and letting Him wash us clean.
Remember Jesus said, leave your gift at the altar
and first be reconciled with your brother:
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar,
and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way;
first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matthew 5:23-24
Essentially, coming before God with sin like it isn’t there is not honoring God
Pretending to be holy is not humility.
Wash yourself first, cleanse your hands before Him, and then pray.
We also have ways to honor Jesus, with our whole heart,
without encumbrances such as cell phones or other distractions,
giving Him our complete attention.
When our hearts are joined with His, that is a sweetness to Him.
I am confident He will teach us more as we seek Him,
as we let Jesus enlarge our understanding,
of how our prayers can be a sweet aroma to Him.