Welcome to the Prayers of Rest podcast. I'm your host, Ashtraita. And today we are agreeing with God when he says that in Christ we are holy and blameless.

So take a deep breath and quiet your heart as we become aware of God's loving

presence around us and within us.

Today's passage comes from Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Let's begin by reciting God's goodness.

Oh God, you are so good.

You're so kind.

You are so compassionate.

That in Christ you wash us clean of all of our sins.

Thank you that you set us apart to be yours before the creation of the world. We don't even know how that works. And yet it's true because it's in your

word. So we praise you, God, that you are committed to this process of sanctifying us, of making us

holy and blameless and set apart, and that you declare us to be that, even before the work is

completed.

You know our end from our beginning,

and just as you chose us before the creation of the world, so you declare us to be even before you've accomplished the work. So God, we praise you. You call us holy and blameless, and that is what we are. So take a moment now

to praise God for that. Rejoice in the good work that He's doing in your life. Let's continue now by expressing our neediness.

God, we are all too aware of our struggles, of the sin that so easily ensnars us.

God, when Satan tempts us to despair because of that, when he points to the guilt that comes with that, God, would you fix our eyes on Jesus?

Would you help us to remember that Jesus is our righteousness and that you call us

holy, not because of our good deeds that outweigh our bad deeds, but rather because of his

perfect sacrifice? God help us to remember that you are holy, that you call us holy,

...