The Jesus Bible Reading PlanSample

PRAYER AS INCENSE

In Psalm 141, the psalmist asked God to hear his voice and to accept his prayer “like incense,” which is to say a sweet-smelling fragrance. Today, believers can pray with confidence, knowing that God hears their prayers. Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus “always lives to intercede for them.” Jesus serves as the intermediary between believers and God, and he takes the requests of believers and presents them before God. First John 2:1 adds, “We have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”

While the psalmist begged God to hear and accept his prayers, believers today can pray confidently knowing that Jesus will take their prayers to God on their behalf. There is no uncertainty about whether or not God hears the prayers of those who follow him. Jesus made it possible for believers to present their requests to God “in every situation, by prayer and petition” (Php 4:6). The prayers of believers are like incense to God who hears them.

Jesus, thank you for taking my requests to the Father, so that my prayers may be like a sweet-smelling fragrance to him. Amen.