"Behold, He Prays"

Acts 9:11

Prayers are instantly noticed in heaven. The moment Saul began to pray, the Lord heard him. Here is comfort for the distressed, praying soul. Often a poor broken-hearted saint bends his knee, but can only utter his wailing in the language of sighs and tears. Yet that groan has made all the harps of heaven thrill with music. That tear has been caught by God and treasured in heaven. "Thou puttest my tears into thy bottle" implies that they are caught as they flow.

The praying soul, whose fears hinder his words, will be well understood by the Most High. He may only look up with misty eye, but prayer is the falling of a tear. Tears are the diamonds of heaven and sighs are a part of the music of Jehovah's court, numbered with the sublimest strains that reach the Majesty on high.

Do not think that your prayers, however weak or trembling, will be unregarded. Jacob's ladder is lofty, but our prayers shall lean upon the angel of the covenant and so will climb its starry rounds. Our God not only hears prayer, but also loves to hear it. "He forgets not the cry of the humble." True. He regards not high looks and lofty words. He cares not for the pomp and pageantry of kings and regards not the triumph and pride of man.

But wherever there is a heart big with sorrow or a lip quivering with agony, or a deep groan or penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open. He marks it down in the registry of His memory. He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there shall be a precious fragrance springing up:

"Faith asks no signal from the skies,
To show that prayers accepted rise;
Our Priest is in His holy place,
And answers from the throne of grace."

- C. H. Spurgeon