Welcome to the Prayers of Rest podcast.

I'm your host, Asrieta Chutu, and I'll be leading you in prayer using a simple guided prayer format to help you slow down and hear God's voice.

As we begin, find a quiet place where you won't be interrupted, and take a deep breath as we become aware of God's loving presence around us and within us.

Today's reading comes from Luke 11 verse 1. One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.

When he finished, one of his disciples said to him,

Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.

Let's begin by reciting God's goodness,

praising Him for who He is as revealed in this passage.

Lord God, thank you that you welcome us to come to you in prayer.

Thank you that even in our not knowing how to pray, you still welcome us and you show us

the way.

Thank you, Jesus, that you are our teacher, and you are the one who teaches

us how to pray. So the next few moments, praise God for being the one who wants to guide you into a deeper prayer life, wants to teach in today's passage.

Lord God, we confess that we still have so much to learn when it comes to prayer.

Sometimes I feel like a kindergartner who's still learning ABCs when I should be a

college student praying these elaborate prayers. But God, thank you that you welcome us.

Even when we're mumbling and groping for the right words, even when we have no words,

thank you, Holy Spirit, that you are you're interceding for us with no words. And thank you, Jesus, that you guide us, even in how to use

our words in prayer.

So we ask that you would help us to adopt this humility, this posture of a student, being willing to receive your instruction.

Help us be students in your school of prayer, ever learning more and yearning more to go deeper and deeper with you.

God forgive us for our pride and self-sufficiency that we think that we've somehow figured this thing out when really you're longing to show us more. So in these next few moments, express your needs to God. Tell him what it is that you want him to teach you in prayer. prayer. Now we move into a time of seeking God's stillness.

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