Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jer. 17:14 (NIV)
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28 (NLT)
Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT)
Lord Jesus, for your welcoming heart, we adore you; for your daily mercies, we worship you; for your promise of renewal, we trust you. On this April Sunday, some of us need rest, deep rest—body, bones, and heart rest.
Some of us are just worn out—spent and weary from life’s demands. The joy of our salvation has been diminished with sighs of depletion, and signs of exhaustion. Breathe, O breath of God, on us.
Some of us are weighted down with stressed relationships or hurting friends; old wounds with renewed power; or new hurts with fresh pain. Jesus, hold us close, give us the perspective of heaven, and send grace in the shape of our need.
Some of us are quite tempt-able and capable of choosing foolish ways to fulfill our longings and medicate our pain. Grab us, grace us, and rescue us from ourselves, Jesus. If we’re going to run, may it be in your direction.
Some of us simply haven’t been taking care of ourselves. More work and play than quiet and sleep; more sugar and caffeine than greens and water. Forgive us Lord.
Some of us have become critical and cynical—more aware of how others fail us than how you love us. We’re more bitter than broken; more resentful than reasonable; more blame-full than responsible. Restore us to gospel-sanity and heart-kindness.
Jesus, melt our hearts with mercy; gentle us with your grace; and humble us with our own sin. Restore to all of us the joy of your free and rich salvation. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ holy and loving name.
