Get a picture in your mind of the scene. There are literally hundreds of thousands here in Heaven before the throne. Some are those who have believed in Jesus, 144,000 of them are from the 12 tribes of Israel, there is a multitude of angels, and there is the Lamb, the Son of God sitting at the right hand of God, who is at the center of it all.

And the seventh seal is opened and there was silence for half and hour.

Can you imagine a scene like that, with all of those beings, possibly millions, and there is silence?

There was such anticipation and wonder at what the breaking of the seventh seal would bring.

And the next thing that happens brings a powerful message. One that until today I have always just glossed over.

After the silence, at the peak of anticipation, when you know all eyes were on the throne, an angel came and stood at the altar with incense. And the prayers of the believers, along with the incense went up before God out of the angel’s hand.

Listen. Do you think prayer is important? Do you think God pays attention? Absolutely! Imagine the focus of all of Heaven here! Every eye is observing the scene here at the altar. No one knows what the breaking of the seventh seal will bring, and they are all watching closely. And a very special angel brings your prayers and mine and lifts them up to God at this eternally important time in history.

I think God thinks prayer is vitally important.

What do you think?