Welcome to the Prayers of Rest podcast. I'm your host, Ashtra Tchut, and I'll be leading you in prayer using a simple, guided 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.

So far this season, we have based our prayers on the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6.

But now we've come to a turning point where we will base our scripture prayers on Jesus' own prayers the night before he was crucified.

Today's reading comes from Matthew, chapter 26, verse 42.

Again, a second time, Jesus went away and prayed,

My father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.

Let's begin by reciting God's goodness, praising him for who he is as revealed in this passage.

Father, we praise you because you're perfect and you're good and you are sovereign and you are wise and even when we don't understand what you're doing, we know that you're good.

And so like Jesus praying, oh, may this cut pass from me, but not my will.

Your will be done.

God, we also declare your will be done.

Your will is good.

Your will is perfect. You see so much more than we can see.

So, God, we worship you. Even in the hard, we will choose to worship and trust and rest.

And so in these next few moments, praise God for how he has been good to you, even when it's been hard.

How has he still been present by your side?

Yeah. by your side. Let's continue now by expressing our neediness, confessing our neediness, confessing our need for God and for his forgiveness.

God, we are so encouraged. I'm so encouraged by this example of Jesus, even Jesus asking for the cup of suffering to pass from him. Because honestly, there are so many situations in our own lives when we'd rather not go through the heart.

We'd rather just skip to the good part.

But what do you form in us, in our hearts,

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