Lord, Teach Us to Pray (Part One)

God uses word pictures to communicate important life lessons throughout Scripture. This includes parables, symbolism, and stories that pique the interest of the reader, and hint of deeper meaning.
 
The role of the priest in tending the incense in the tabernacle and the temple is an example. (See Exodus 30 for the details.) God gave an exact formula for the incense. God restricted the use of this incense formula for the tabernacle and temple. The priests tended the incense twice a day. It was to burn twenty four hours a day. The burning of incense symbolized the prayers of God’s people.  When the time for burning of incense came, all assembled worshippers prayed outside. It was known  that the priests entered the holy place in the morning and in the evening to tend to the incense. The custom of gathering for prayer at these times developed over the centuries. Since the burning of incense symbolized the prayers of God’s people, the burning of incense reminded God's people to pray.

If you have ever burned incense or even attended a barbecue, you know that the smell of smoke permeates your body, hair and clothing. The unique aroma of the temple incense that clung to the priest who tended the incense alerted all that he had been in the Presence of the Lord. The smell of the incense reminded people about prayer and the Presence of the Lord. God effectively used the sense of smell, the excitement of pageantry, and reinforcement of custom to teach important lessons about this thing we call prayer.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, God removed the barriers that separated the common people from His Presence. The curtain that separated the Holy of Holiest Places from the Holy Place ripped in two. The Glory of God, the Presence of the Lord, the Holy Spirit became available to all believers. Spending time in the Presence of the Lord in prayer is the privilege and responsibility of all believers.

By Debi Bell