Welcome to Daily Prayer with myself, Reverend Ben Cooper. Wherever you are in the world, thank you that you're making daily prayer part of your life and part of the bounce of every situation. Wherever you are, the night is drawing in. We are tired. The kids have come home. You've done the swimming lessons with them. You've done the football, the cricket, the rugby, the netball, the crochet you've been doing. You've been doing the knitting, you've been doing the classes, the thread work,
the needlework, drawing, homework, all the algebras under the sun. Come on, let's close the lid on today and let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you that
we are walking in Psalm 34, verse 18. This is the title of this prayer, Jesus. Draw close to me in my weariness and restore what has been drained from me. Lord, the whole day has drained us. Lord, from every corner, from every tribe, from every colour, Lord, as the evening starts to settle in. Holy Spirit, Lord, as we come back from school, Lord, we got the kids in the car, Lord. We're putting them in the house, Lord. The families coming home, Lord. We might be going home to our empty house, Lord. We might be in a hospital, we might be in a hospice, we might be in prison, wherever we are at this moment in time. I pray that the love of God will just cascade over each and every one of us. It will feel like a gentle summer rain coming over our lives. Holy Spirit, reign over our lives. But Jesus, draw close to us. We are weary and we need restoring at this hour. Father, from the battlefield to the boardroom. Father, from the boardroom to the washing machine. Father, we've been washing all day. Lord, we've been tidying up after family. Lord, we've been at work all day. We're exhausted. Lord, we've got to leave work now, Jesus, and we've got to go home and we've got to prepare food. We've got to look after the kids. We've got to do whatever we got to do. But Lord, we are tired. Lord, we feel drained. And Lord, we're not even home yet. Lord, we're on the commute run. We're making our way back. Lord, we are tired and weary. Lord, I pray for those that feel
crushed that you will renew their spirit. For those that are carrying burdens, you will lift the burden. But right now, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Lord, as we lean into Matthew 11, 28, come to me, all of you that are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Father, I pray for all the listeners on the other side of my voice. I pray that you will give them rest. Lord, as we stretch out from London all the way to Vancouver, from Vancouver all the way, dear God, to El Salvador, from El Salvador to Brazil, from Brazil to Australia, from Australia to India, Lord, we are praying that the glory, Father, Lord, if any one of us feels drained, Lord, bring peace, Lord, at this hour. Holy Spirit, Lord, I pray as this day draws to a close, Father, the eyelids are tired, the eyes are tired, the backs are aching, the hands are tired. Lord, we've still got washing to do. We still got to get home. Lord, we got a long commute. Father, the children are driving us mad. Relationships are driving us mad. Work's driving us mad. The socials, Lord, we're fed up with social network. We're fed up listening to the price of the barrel of oil. Lord, we want the truth in our lives. Lord, we want to know the truth. So Lord, we come to you, as the book says in Matthew 11,
28, come to me, all of you that are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Father, right now, we are worried right now at this moment about the war cry. We are worried about the price of the barrel of oil. Lord, the gas is accelerating, the electric is accelerating. Lord, the food, dear God, on the shelves. Father, will you help us to feed the family? Lord, will you help us to get to work? Father, we need you in our lives. Spirit of the living God, we need your love. We need your grace. We need your mercy. But right now, Lord, will you bring peace? Lord, we need peace. Lord, at this hour, Lord, we need emotional release right now. Lord, the tension has been high today. The worry is high right now. But Lord, we draw this time as we come close to you. But Jesus, I ask you, as we draw
to the word, as we walk through the word, I thank you that you are sustaining us. And this weariness and this tiredness, from the battlefield to the washing machine, from the washing machine to the school run. From the school run to the swimming lessons, from the swimming lessons, dear God, to the homework of life. Father, bless those that are sitting with the kids doing all the homework. Father, bless those that are on the commute wherever we are, those that are tired, those that are weary, those that are in a large family, a small family. Lord, those that are married, that are not married, those that are in a relationship that are not in a relationship, whatever the rhythm of the listener's life is, bless them from the crown of their head to the sole of their feet. Jesus Christ is with you. Join me at the next prayer.