When You Don’t Have The Words to Pray

Have you ever been so overcome by your emotions that words were insufficient to communicate how you were feeling? Has your heart ever been so full that all you could do was bow your head and cry?

This photo by Brazilian photojournalist Marcos Tristão went viral in 2009. Before you even hear his story, the emotions on this young boy’s face speak to your heart. And yet he never says a word.

Diego Frazão Torquato was born in the slums of Parada de Lucas, an area of Brazil plagued by crime and poverty. Evandro João De Silval, coordinator of the social project AfroReggae in Rio de Janeiro, introduced Diego to the violin to provide him with an opportunity to escape his impoverished and violent surroundings. He was more than just Diego’s violin teacher, however. He was his mentor and champion. Unfortunately, De Silval was brutally murdered during an armed robbery in 2009.  This photo shows Diego playing violin at Silval’s funeral.

As I look at this picture, I am reminded of the woman Luke wrote about in Chapter 7 who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. We don’t have a tangible photo of the incident; however, Luke painted a moving word picture of a woman outcast by society for her lifestyle but cherished and accepted by Christ.

She didn’t have an invitation as she entered Simon the Pharisee’s house and knelt at Jesus’ feet. She was so overcome with gratitude for Jesus’ unconditional love and complete forgiveness that she washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with expensive oil.

Like Diego, she never said a word. She displayed her love and gratitude in a language beyond the limitations of oral communication. She wasn’t “performing” for the crowd and didn’t care what others thought because she was focused on the One she loved. She was willing to be honest and vulnerable. He was also openly displaying raw emotions; however, he was paying homage to a man while she was pouring out her heart and soul at Jesus’ feet. Unlike Diego, she was not mourning the loss of someone who changed her life here on earth. She was celebrating the One who changed her life for eternity.

Do you know you have an open invitation to approach the throne of God in the same way? Are you willing to sacrifice society’s affirmation to be accepted and loved by the One who can change your life for all eternity? 

She sacrificed her pride to honor Jesus and express her deepest appreciation and adoration. How do you honor and adore Him? How do you communicate with Him from the depths of your heart when mere words are not enough? 

Of course, there are many different types of tears. These are both examples of tears that come from the heart. Diego wept tears of grief while the woman at Jesus’ feet cried tears of gratitude and praise. Of course, tears aren’t necessary when we talk to God, and they do not make our prayers any more powerful or sincere. They do, however, provide a way to communicate with God when we can’t find the words to express what is on our hearts. This was true of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. 

But perhaps the most powerful part of her story was Jesus’ response. 

“You have shown me much love. Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.” (Luke 7:47, 50)

He not only heard her prayer, 

(You have shown me much love…)

He valued her prayer,

(Your sins are forgiven.)

 and blessed her.

(Go in peace.)

Oh, my friend, God hears OUR prayers. He values OUR prayers. Prayer from our hearts…prayers through our tears…

Go in peace.