Psalm 141

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
(Psalms 141:2)

I was so blessed when I first read this verse because it immediately brought to mind the monastery where I worked for a couple of summers.

"As the prayers rise before You like an evening oblation, I come and kneel before Your throne."

The interesting thing about incense, if you have ever observed it for awhile, is that it is a continual stream that rises up. There is no break in it. Not only that, but it permeates the entire surroundings of where it is being burned. What an amazing analogy for prayer! We are exhorted to pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17) and our prayers should surround all that we do. Our days should be covered in prayer, much like the incense cloud tends to hover above and cover the room that it is being burned in.

How awesome it is that the Lord chooses to use our life experiences to open up the truth of the scriptures to us and to instruct us in the way we should go!