Perhaps no passage of Scripture better describes Jesus' passion in prayer than does Hebrews 5:7. The writer of Hebrews describes Jesus' prayer that night in the garden when facing the cross: "While Jesus lived on earth, he prayed to God and asked God for help. He prayed with loud cries and tears to the One who could save him from death. And his prayer was heard because he left it all up to God" (Heb. 5:7, ICB).
Here is an important key concerning prayer. In describing Jesus' prayer in the garden, this passage points out His loud cries and tears. But we are told that He was actually heard because of His reverent submission to the will and plan of God—"his prayer was heard because he left it all up to God."
God loves fervent people, and He loves tears! We collect things that are of value to us. Scripture tells us that our heavenly Father saves our tears in a bottle (Ps. 56:8). When tears have watered the soil into which the seeds of prayer have been planted, we should expect a harvest. The title of singer/songwriter Dottie Rambo's gospel song says it rightly: "Tears are a language God understands."
Have you noticed that life is not a rose garden? There certainly are pressing times and issues that we will face that will bring us to tears. Without question, there have been times when tears have provoked the Lord to rule in one's favor.
In 2 Kings 20, King Hezekiah was dying of an illness when he prayed, "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes" (v.3). And as Hezekiah prayed, he wept bitterly before the Lord. Later the Lord told the prophet Isaiah, "Go back and tell Hezekiah I have heard his prayer and seen his tears; I will heal him" (vv. 2–5).
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