Alive, Active . . . and Praying
As we discussed last week, God is the God of the Living, and so we know that our Christian loved ones are alive in Heaven and present with the Lord. But that doesn’t really tell us what they’re doing in Heaven, does it? As Sarah and I started to unpack what the Bible tells us about Heaven, we wondered, What are Siah and the multitude of others who are eternally with God doing right now? The answers (which I’ll share with you over the next few Have Heart posts) may very well surprise you.
They Are Praying
The Book of Revelation is a great place to go for answers on Heaven. Revelation 5:8 says, “The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” We typically think of praying saints as being the prayer warriors here on earth, but Scripture doesn’t make that distinction.
Revelation 6:9, 10 says, “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” These martyred saints cried out in prayer to God, asking Him to answer their heartfelt requests.
Revelation 8:3 also depicts the faithful in Heaven actively praying: “Then another angel . . . 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.” “All the saints” literally means our loved ones, your loved ones, and every inhabitant of Heaven—all the saints!
These verses clearly tell us that right now in Heaven, there are people with emotions, feelings, and desires. They know what’s happening on earth, as much as God allows, and they’re interceding in Heaven and asking God to intervene in the affairs of earth. Isn’t that a wonderful connection to have with our loved ones who have gone before us? We need to recognize their participation in prayer and thank God for it!
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