Evening Prayer for Thursday, January 22, 2026

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Praying the Scriptures

Thursday Evening Prayer

January 22, 2026

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

Heavenly Father,

As the sun sinks low in the west and the sharp January chill settles over the high desert here in Deming, I come to You seeking the rest You have promised to the weary. The jagged silhouette of the Florida Mountains stands silent against the darkening eastern sky, a testament to Your enduring strength amidst the changing seasons. I lay down the burdens of this week, the heavy weights I have carried—perhaps needlessly—and step into the stillness of this Thursday evening, grateful for the sanctuary of Your presence in this vast and quiet land.

In this week where we remember the sacred bond of one faith and one baptism, I confess my longing for a deeper, more unified trust in You. Sometimes my faith feels small, like a dormant seed buried in the hard winter soil, yet I know You are the master gardener who brings life from the dust. I look at the divisions in the world and the uncertainties in my own heart, and I ask for Your light to break through the shadows. Help me to trust not in my own limited understanding, but in Your power that works perfectly within my weakness, remembering that we are all washed in the same waters of grace.

As the night deepens and the constellations wheel overhead, grant me a quiet confidence that You are at work even when I cannot see the growth. Let me find true refreshment in my sleep tonight, knowing that You hold the world and all its concerns in Your capable hands. Renew my spirit for the morning, that I might walk with a lighter step and a heart open to the unity You desire for Your children, ready to serve and to love with the steady, patient rhythm of Your peace.

Amen.

May the peace of the Lord, which transcends all division, guard our hearts this night and knit us together as one family in the shelter of His grace.

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The Bible passages come from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyrighted © 1989, 1993 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Praying the Scriptures is penned daily by Kenny Sallee, ThM.