God Hears the Prayers You Never Think to Pray
God “gets”us. He knows every thought we think, every tear we shed, and every desire whether verbalized or not. He knows, and He cares.
If you’ve ever wondered whether God hears the prayers you never think to pray, put that thought to rest, my friend.
Sailor-Man and I left the marina in our boat-home last week to anchor in one of our favorite places. The summer had been intense, and we both needed a change of pace.
I also needed some space to process the death of one of my marina friends. Diagnosed with cancer in July, she died on September 6th. The speed at which the disease progressed made my head spin. I still can’t believe she’s gone.
God works behind the scenes to answer an unspoken prayer
The first evening at anchor gave me opportunity for a What’s App call with another friend. I sat in the cockpit as we talked, watching a huge sailboat motor into the harbor and drop anchor as the sun set behind it.
The vessel’s silhouette against the sky’s brilliance left me breathless in wonder. I shared the scene with my friend but also wanted to capture the moment on camera, so I paused our conversation to snap a picture.
After my friend and I said goodbye, Sailor-Man and I sat on the boat deck and star-gazed. The massive sailboat bobbed on the water a couple hundred meters from us. It intrigued me. Was it a touristy vessel? Something of historical value on British Columbia’s coast?
God puts the details together
I posted its picture on my Facebook profile so others could enjoy the scene. A little while later, my phone alerted me to a message:
“May I ask where you’re anchored tonight? I only ask because my daughter is on a sailing ship this week and if by any chance your picture is of the ship, it would be a remarkable moment for me.”
I wrote back, “Montague Marine Park on Galiano Island. That boat looks very unique. It’s big!”
She responded, “I think that’s her!!!! It’s a SALTS ship. The Pacific Swift. Thank you!!! My momma heart needed a little sign tonight and if this is indeed her, then God is just the coolest.”
In the meantime, Sailor-Man used an app that identified the vessel as the Pacific Swift, owned by a ministry based in Victoria, British Columbia.
“This makes me cry. Thank you for posting tonight,” she wrote. “I told someone earlier this evening that I just wanted to see what my daughter was seeing. What a glorious answer to a prayer I didn’t even think to pray.”
God hears the prayers we don’t think to pray
The phrase that mother used – “a prayer I didn’t even think to pray” – jumped out at me. So did the evidence of God’s attention to our heart’s desires. But why should I be surprised? After all, He says,
“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24 NLT)
My friend, God is tuned to hear and understand His children’s heart cries. He “gets”us. He knows every thought we think, every tear we shed, and every desire whether verbalized or not. He knows, and He cares.
How about you?
What unexpressed desire lies in your heart today? What’s that prayer you haven’t even thought to pray? Entrust it to the Father and know that He hears.
Know you are loved,
Grace
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There you’ll find exclusive content alongside hope, courage, and transformation through God’s word. All with a dash of adventure!
Love your thoughts and info.
I think how nice it must be to live on your boat. Moisture. Something here in the prairies don’t have
Thank you
Hi Diane:
Living fulltime on a boat has its good days and its not-so-good days. You’re right about moisture — indoors and out. The humidity creates problems like mildew, especially in the winter. We have to keep our cupboard doors open all winter so air can circulate, and even then, mildew grows. We run a dehumidifier all winter to try to counteract it.
The good days make up for that negative aspects of boat-life. Living on the water and seeing critters close up is fun. Being able to start the motor and head to a quiet cove once or twice a year is lovely, too. We’re doing this in obedience to God’s lead, and we’re here until He says it’s time to move back to shore.
Have a great day!
Grace
Love, love, love this story. When you posted the picture and story on your social media, I saved it in my file, “rocks of remembrance”. I note down things that are such an incredible answer , that I want to keep a remembrance of them, like the OT piles of rocks to remind others of something significant that God performed. 🪨 Just wow!
The comment “a glorious answer to prayer I didn’t even think to pray “ and how God answered this mother’s unspoken prayer stood out for me. I tend to forget that He sees and knows all things—even our unarticulated desires. Incredible! So thankful for His unfailing love and care. Thank you, Grace, for sharing. What an experience!!
Hi Catherine. Yes, this was truly a sweet and fun experience. God’s goodness to answer the mom’s prayer she didn’t think to pray was overwhelming. Seeing how He brought such joy to her made me realize afresh how much He delights in His kids.
Know you are loved,
Grace
Grace, I will be praying for you and Sailor Man as you travel to Romania for God’s work. God bless you both!
Thank you, Lyn! I really appreciate that.
Know you are loved,
Grace
Yes, my husband and I remember you two and your IM ministry in our prayers.
Thank you. We really value your prayers.
Hi Grace,
At bible study Kathryn our guide chose your devotional study Names of God, living Unafraid. I already had the book, however it was nice to start it again with our bible study group. It was a large group today, not sure how many, but at least 25. We are praying for you and Sailor Man on your journey to Romania God bless you and keep you safe. Know you are loved 🙏🏼
Blessings Brenda
Hi Brenda:
Thanks so much for letting me know about your group using “Names of God: Living Unafraid.” That thrills my heart! Tell Kathryn that I think it would be fun to do a Zoom call with your group when you’re finished the study — we could do a Q&A time, if she wants. And thank you for your prayers as Sailor-Man and I head to Romania. We appreciate that VERY much.
Blessings to you,
Grace
Condolences on the loss of your friend Grace. That was very fast…
Will be praying for you as you travel to Romania.
Thanks for the sharing moments….it is always a reminder of how awesome our God is to us.
Mary
Thank you for your kind words, Mary. Yes, my friend’s battle with cancer was very fast. It still seems surreal that she’s gone. The experience has really made me more aware of the brevity of life and how important it is to live for what truly matters.
Thanks for your prayers as we head out next Tuesday. We value them!
Know you are loved,
Grace
I can only say, “Wow!” What an amazing God we serve! This just brought tears to my eyes because you know it could only be a God thing! What a beautiful, tender heart He has toward His children. I was in a hurry tonight and thought I might have to save this for later, but I’m so glad I opened it. Thank you for the encouragement!
Hi Sandie:
Thanks for taking the time to post. I’m so glad the story encouraged you. It was so much fun to be part of what God did for that precious mom. He is truly amazing.
Know you are loved,
Grace
Hi Grace, I needed to hear this message tonight. I have been praying for my adult son and his family and there are times when I don’t have the words. So good to know God can still hear what’s on my heart. I will pray for your ministry in Romania. Be safe!
Hi Cindy:
Absolutely — God knows exactly what’s on our heart, and He cares. I’m encouraged in knowing He hears our simple prayers like, “Jesus, help!”, too. May He bless you with peace concerning your son and his family as you continue to trust Him for their well-being.
Know you are loved,
Grace
Love, love, love this story. When you posted the picture and story on your social media, I saved it in my file, “rocks of remembrance”. I note down things that are such an incredible answer , that I want to keep a remembrance of them, like the OT piles of rocks to remind others of something significant that God performed. 🪨 Just wow!
Hi Becky:
This story was fun to be part of. Seeing God come through for this mother’s unspoken desire was so encouraging — I just had to share it so others would know that He knows their unspoken desires, too.
Have a great day, and know you are loved,
Grace
Wow, just wow I needed this today, thank you for sharing
Hi Beth:
Don’t you love how God knows what we need and when we need it? He’s amazing.
Know you are loved,
Grace
Thank you Grace for your letter. I am so sorry for your loss. Praying for you as you continue to process her loss and remember her. Thank you for sharing with us your Pacific Swift story. God cares for us so immeasurably. His love is never ending. Thank you Grace. Remembering you as you travel to Romania and bring the light and joy of the Gospel to them.
Hi Donna:
Thanks for your kind words. This loss felt so heavy — I’ll have to tell you the story behind it sometime.
Yes, that Pacific Swift story was quite something. It was so much fun to see how God cared for that mother from Prince George. When morning dawned, I took a few other pictures so she could see what her daughter was seeing in the daytime. So much fun!
Know you are loved,
Grace