The Fragrance of a Repentant Heart
God delights in the sincere voice of our soul when we offer Him not merely words but all our deepest repentance and love. What we offer in prayer is not just a formal request but our inner, genuine confession—a "confession of the soul" that acts as the aroma of our sincere longing before Him. In other words, we do not bring Him the gifts of this world; rather, we give what is most precious—our true, repentant heart, which becomes for God a fragrant incense.Supporting citations:"If you pray, God will accept your prayer in place of a calf. If you approach with a sincere heart, your zeal will be valued above the sacrifice of an ox. … In it, He delights in the fragrance of genuine emotions—the sincere feeling of longing; for they serve as a fragrant incense to God." (source: link txt)"With a sincere and repentant heart, what we can offer our Lord is always precious to Him and brings great joy. God always accepts true repentance because it creates the aroma of the fragrance of sincere longings." (source: link txt)Thus, when we stand before God in prayer, we offer Him our soul's song, our sincere repentance, and our acknowledgment of our need for His grace. It is this deep, genuine expression of our soul that brings Him immeasurable joy.