Candles, and candle lighting...

Candles aren't for God. If we believe that He is there, in whatever form we believe in, He hears and sees us without regard to whether we are lighting candles or whether we are eloquent in our communication with the Divine.

But we are earthly, concrete beings, though we may occasionally touch something beyond this world. Candles, and other touches such as incense and (gasp!) music, are for us... to focus our thoughts, to make us aware that when we pray or worship, we are thinking of a life beyond this one. Staring into a candle flame is hypnotizing, and a aid to meditation. Historically, the Church (especially the Catholics, Anglicans and I presume the Orthodox folks as well) have used the concrete act of lighting a candle to help mark the fact that someone is praying or has prayed.

Liturgy and symbolism ain't for everyone. I happen to love it, and I feel I get glimpses of God in the context of our high-church liturgy and traditional Anglican music. I also felt that way when I was 19 and singing praises songs by the creek in the middle of the night with my college friends. Completely unstructured, but worship all the same.