“And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and the where holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people”. Revelations 5:8
My yoga mat is my therapist, my church pew, my gym and a dear friend. Some days I come to my mat to work out, other days the movement helps me work through some issues stuck in my mind and body. But most day, I bring petitions to the Lord for myself, friends and foe. My mat is where I can intercede on behalf of people. Through my movement, my prayers are lifted up to the high heavens and the Holy One. Where my prayers, like incense, float up to heaven and are kept in the bowl made known in Revelations. Every breath that I exhale is a petition towards the heavens and every inhale is me taking in God’s Presence.
Some people have options about Christians doing yoga, but to me, the movement (asana) aspect of yoga is prayer in motion. A type of full-body prayer as I move with one breath and one movement to offer my prayers to the King of Kings. This type of prayer, prayer in motion, allows me to slow down, be intentional and allows the peace of Christ to enter me. It’s an invitation to pause and reflect. And allows me to connect with my body and breath. Two things I neglect to pay attention to on a daily bases.
When I inhale and lift my hands over head, I imagine gathering the prayers of His people and releasing them to heaven. Then I humble myself before the Lord as I exhale into a forward fold. I let my exhale bring me up to a half way lift where I pause and humbly offer petitions to the Lord of Lords who wants to hear from His children. As I continue to pray with one breath and one movement, I exhale into lunge coming before the Lord on bended knee and lifted hands as a sign of surrender. My next inhale moves my body into downward facing dog where I take some time to go inward and reflect. Reflecting on how my body feels. Reflecting where my thoughts are. And reflecting on how the Spirit is moving within me. With my next inhale, I come into plank and lower to the mat on the exhale. Inhaling into cobra I offer my heart to the Lord. Asking Him to speak His truth and word into my open heart. The next exhale brings my body back to a downdog and I reflect on what was spoken to me. I continue to move until I sense the Spirit telling me to rest and then come into Child’s pose and have the Spirit wash over me.
As I let my practice settle into my body, I image my prayers offered up to the Lord during my practice as incense floating up to the heavens. The thoughts and words that left my body as breath and vapor are now reaching heaven as sweet incense. The sweet incense is pleasing to God not because of the fragrance but by what it represents: the prayers of His child.
Our prayers are so important to Him that He collects them in “golden bowls” in heaven. Your prayers. My prayers. All collected and kept in golden bowls in heaven. Wow! We serve an awesome God that He would care to hear all our prayers and keep them in such a precious item.
So, next time you pray, by moving or staying still, envision your prayers leaving your mouth, and flowing up to the heavens where they are collected and kept as treasures.