Prayers and Cries with Reverence

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
- Hebrews 5:7

Where was the reverence heard and seen in Jesus’ prayers and cries in the midst of suffering and death? It was heard in loud cries and tears in the view of the cross. It was heard in tears and cries of faith toward his powerful Father who was able to raise him up from death. He knows the weakness and fears we face each day, for in his flesh he suffered. He knows our cries of distress, for in his flesh he cried out. But does he know our reverence? His reverence is seen and heard in that he did not escape from the way of the cross, but willing went the way of death so that his cries would be heard in his resurrection. His reverence was seen and heard in his cries not for his own will to be done but for the will of his Father who would be glorified in his humbling himself as a man to the point of death on the cross, so that through his humiliation for the elect the Father would exalt him as King and Head of the elect through the resurrection and ascension. His reverence is seen and heard today as he continues as the eternal High Priest making intercession for his Bride and ruling over her, speaking to her in order that she may be made complete, a holy and blameless people chosen by his Father.

God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is able to save you from death. Does he hear you in your prayers, supplications with cries of tears in reverence? Reverence accepts the way of the cross, but in the way of the cross it cries with prayers and supplications because the way of the cross is dependent in death for the joy of others in God. Prayers and supplications without cries in reverence is done by those who want for a self exalting life. But for those who pray with cries of reverence there is the certainty that you are not your own, you have been bought with a price and you are to glorify God with your body. Yet your body is weak, your flesh is failing and you know that in you is no good thing, so you pray with cries of reverence for his glory to be revealed through your union with Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Reverence for God’s glory is seen and heard best in humility, and humility with reverence shines forth in the cross where the extension of Christ’s sufferings in grace flow to more and more souls for God’s glory in cries of reverence to the God of all grace.

May God be glorified as we trust in the great High Priest Jesus Christ, who suffered in the flesh with prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears with reverence, to save us from death. And may he be glorified as we pray continually with loud cries and tears in reverence as we walk the pathway of the cross so that others may glorify him for his grace.