Welcome to the Prayers of Rest podcast. I'm your host, Asherita Chuchu, and I'll be leading you in prayer

using a simple guided prayer format with the acronym Rest. That is, recite God's goodness,

express your neediness, seek his stillness, and trust his faithfulness.

As we begin, find a quiet place where you won't be interrupted, and take a deep breath as we enter into God's presence together.

Thank you. breath as we enter into God's presence together. Today's reading is from Matthew

11, verses 28 to 30.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Let's begin by reciting God's goodness, praising him for who he is and for what he has done.

God, thank you for your invitation to come to you. Thank you that you welcome into your presence,

not just those who feel like they have their life altogether and everything is going all right,

but you welcome into your presence those who are weary and tired and heavy burdened.

When we feel like we have nowhere else to turn, thank you that you invite us to come to you

and not just to come for comfort or reassurance, but to come for rest. Thank you for inviting us to walk

alongside you, and that you yourself will exchange our heavy burdens for your light burden. That is

the commandment to love you and love others, that that is all you require of us,

and you invite us in this space to be with you, to find rest for our souls in you. Thank you,

God. In the next few moments, praise God for how He has shown his goodness to you in your life recently,

and for what this invitation means to you. We continue by expressing our neediness, confessing our neediness, confessing our need for God, for his love, for his forgiveness, for his presence, and yes, for his rest in our lives.

Oh God, we need you.

So often we rush through life at a breakneck speed, just crashing into bed at night, exhausted.

And here is your invitation to come to you.

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