Jesus offers us these words of comfort and invitation:

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.


"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.


"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" (Matthew 11:25-30 NIV).

Father, there are some weary people on this planet. Good people. Sincere people. People of faith. People who long to please You. People who love You with all their heart and soul and mind and strength. People who are committed to being good and doing good. Your people. There are some weary people in this world.

Father, there are some burdened people on this planet. Hard working people. People with big and generous hearts. People who care about people. People who have great compassion. People who give of themselves, share what they have, and show mercy to other people. There are some burdened people in this world.

So, I come to You on behalf of all who are weary and burdened people.

I come to you on behalf of the daughter who has the responsibility of caring for her aged mother who cannot remember her name, the name of the daughter who visits her every day, nor can she remember where she is.

I pray for all the weary and heavy burdened.
I come to You on behalf of the husband who cares for his wife who suffers from a disease that will eventually take her life.

I come to You on behalf of the young mother who struggles to hold on to the hope that her husband will ever give her and their children the attention they crave.

I come to You on behalf of the single dad who had to learn to be a father and a mother to his teenage daughter.

I come to You on behalf of the Christian leader who carries the burden of spiritual development of his family, the Christian family he serves, and his own spiritual health.

Father, I come to You on behalf of all the weary and heavy burdened people. I lift them up to you. And, I pray that each one will hear Your invitation to come, and Your promise to give them rest. And, I pray that they will accept Your invitation to come to You.

I pray for all the weary and heavy burdened through the name of the One who hears, the One who invites, and the One who gives rest. Amen.