The Peak of Inspiration

And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.  Revelation 8:4

We’ve all seen the pictures.  We’ve heard the stories and been fascinated by the facts and circumstances surrounding the events of August 6 and 9, 1945.  The sheer volume and magnitude of what happened is hard to fathom.  The power behind those instruments propelled a smoke cloud to the altitude of 60,000 ft.  Millions of lives affected.  In reality, all of our lives have been altered by what took place there.

The other day, I was sitting with a very large group of believers, thinking and discussing the issues of the day.  Some of you may have been there too.  At one point in a particular session, a special prayer was led.  Nine thousand people bowed and implored God to give us power to discern, identify and fight the Devil and his angels of light. 

Sometimes I don’t have the faith that I should.  I wonder if my prayers make any difference.  I wonder if my prayers lack the fervency and therefore the power to effect a change.  I see them ascending like a little trail of smoke from a candle, quickly losing the heat and aroma that they started out with.  I’m not saying that God doesn’t hear them, because He has promised that He does, and I believe that.  But I also believe that if you join with me, and we pray together, somehow the effect is greater, and the smoke of the incense smells just a little sweeter, and last a little longer. 

I sat there with my head bowed and my eyes closed.  And maybe it was just my imagination, but I like to think it went deeper than that.  I saw a cloud rising from that assembly.  An awesome column of prayer and petition.  Rising and spreading across the heavens.  I could sense the power there.  Power that heals hearts and changes lives.  Power that gives direction and leads the way. 

We hear a lot about being a tiny spark and lighting the corner where you are.  About being a candle and using yours to light another.  There’s certainly nothing wrong with that.  A thousand miracles a day happen because of a single prayer offered by a sincere soul. 

But I also believe that there is a time for us to join together in a concentrated effort, and focus our hearts for a minute or two on a common goal.   To raise the voice of our souls in unison and plead with the God of Heaven to hear our request.  To let the cry of our individual hearts collect into a singular burden.  To throw our candles together and make a bonfire.  And let the heat of that bonfire carry that burden to His throne.  Surely there is a time for that.

Don’t neglect the personal prayers.  Keep one on your lips at all times.  But as you have the opportunity, join your prayer with another.  Pray with your family and your congregation.  Pray with your friends and associates.  And if you ever have the chance to pray with nine thousand Christians like I did, take a moment and look up.  You will see a mushroom cloud.

God sees it too.  And maybe that’s all we need to know. 

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.  Psalm 34:15