Are You Listening?

Revelation 8:1-5
"When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.  Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake."

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for listening to my prayers.  I cry out with such abject brokenness and ignorance. I do not what to ask, how to ask, or even when to ask.  My vision is so limited that prayer requests I judge to be good, if answered, may actually be bad for me.  I just don't know. Nevertheless, You are listening. 

Thank you for teaching me to worship You in prayer.  Thank You for taking my feeble requests and interpreting them to Father for me.  After all, Triune God, You know what is best for me, and I submit to Your design.  

Thank You for the picture of the Revelation that You are listening to my prayers, and the prayers of all of Your saints, as we confess our needs to You.  R.H. Charles: "The needs of the saints are more to God than all the psalmody of heaven."

Do You really turn off the music of heaven to hear my prayer?  I am humbled that You would tilt Your head toward me, cup Your hand around Your ear, and listen to my prayer.  I cry out so often to You throughout the day, that I must seem like a chattering child.  But this snapshot of heaven is that You stop everything to listen!  To me!

William Barclay described the heavenly response to prayer in Revelation 8: "The prayers of the saints are about to go up to God; and it may be that the idea is that everything in heaven halts so that the prayers of the saints may be heard...  Even the music of heaven and even the thunder of revelation are stilled so that God's ear may catch the whispered prayer of the humblest of his trusting people" (In The Revelation of John, vol. 2, 1959, p. 49).

If You are listening with that sort of tender attentiveness, how dare I ask for anything?  I am rendered mute.  I am prostrate before Your focused love for me.  I submit afresh to Your Lordship confessing, "You do all things well.  I trust You.  I need You.  I am utterly dependent upon You.  I lean into You and Your perfect will for my life."

Thank You for stopping everything to hear me. Thank You for listening.  I love You.  

Amen.