Is it allowable to use candles in connection with prayer?

Answer

There is no biblical reason why we can’t light candles while we pray or engage in any other activity. Candles are inanimate objects. They possess no power, strength, or mystical abilities. They consist solely of wax and a piece of string, possibly with added scent.

Candles, along with other lights like Christmas decorations, can serve as a reminder that Jesus is the Light of the World. They can prompt us to place our trust in the Light so that we may become children of Light “While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” These words Jesus spoke, then went away and hid from them., (John 12:36). Having a candle burning while we pray may help us concentrate our prayers and thoughts on Jesus as the Light of the world.

However, what candles cannot do is carry our prayers to heaven, enhance the power or effectiveness of our prayers, contribute anything to our prayers, or intercede for us in any manner. For instance, the belief that candles burning in a Roman Catholic church can prolong the petitioner’s prayer even after they have left the church is not supported by the Bible. Prayer is a dialogue with our heavenly Father—a conversation between two living, conscious, responsive beings who share the same Spirit. No candle can partake in such a relationship.

Candles are utilized in various forms of worship rituals. Different groups such as witches, shamans, Catholics, new-agers, some Protestants, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus incorporate candles into their worship practices. Lighting votive candles aligns with the growing worship trends that embrace mystery, mysticism, and engaging with reality through experience.

Ultimately, the use of candles in prayer is inherently harmless. The peril lies in attributing to them a power they do not actually possess.