FACEDOWN 40 Day 6

With Loud Crying and Tears

Written by Francis Frangipane
Monday, 06 March 2006

Meditation:

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried” (Isa 53:4).

Reflection:

Some of us are too quiet in our prayer times. Face down does not mean quiet. I know there is a time for silent prayer, but it shouldn’t be the norm. As Christians we must let ourselves feel the agony of the world around us. While our faith should never be based upon feelings, our capacity to empathize with another’s loss or pain, should be fully alive in us and compelling.

Satan wants us muted. He desires (that) our prayers degrade into quiet muttering, as though we are ashamed of saying out loud what is going on inside. Our needs demand, at times, we have volume and substance in our prayer. Scripture says of Jesus that, “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety” (Heb 5:7).

Some say this verse refers to Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, a one time experience. I disagree. The thought is introduced with the phrase, “In the days of His flesh.” The word days is plural. It indicates that there were actual times when, as the situation warranted, that Jesus prayed with “loud crying and tears.” My point is, Jesus felt deeply what He was praying about. His whole being was in His prayer, even expressing His burden with both loud crying and tears.

Our Master also felt the sorrow of His friends. He wept at the tomb of His friend, Lazarus. Yes, He knew He was about to raise Lazarus, but He felt the heartache (not the unbelief) of Lazarus’ friends and their sorrow seized His heart.

Even as Christ can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, we must allow ourselves this same empathy toward human suffering and injustice. Thousands are dying because of wars, starvation and disease; multitudes are homeless and in abject poverty. Infants are pulled apart in the womb before their lungs have taken a single breath. Sin and rebellion to God are rampant. We are blessed if we mourn over these things.

Granted, we cannot be ruled by our feelings, but they can help compel us toward heaven. As we pray, let the pain of those who cannot cry fill our hearts. Let us lift our voices in prayer, even with loud crying and tears as we approach Him who is able to save from death.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, moved with compassion You healed the multitudes. You extended Yourself, feeling the heartache of the world around You, Your whole life was consecrated as an act of intercession. Master give us a vision of Your love. Our world is wrought with pain and beyond our ability to ease it. Expand our heart as we cry to You. Father enlarge our soul, so that we pray with the very intercessions of Your Son, Jesus. Let our voice be full of reality as we pray. In Jesus’ name.