“I Will Give You Rest: Come”

The 2026 World Day of Prayer materials from Nigeria bring us a powerful invitation drawn from Matthew 11:28-30. At a time when people worldwide are carrying heavy burdens, our Nigerian sisters offer profound insights into finding rest in God.

Through their exploration of different kinds of burdens – shame, systemic oppression, religious persecution, poverty and despair – the writers help us understand both the weight of human suffering and the depths of divine rest. Their work shows us that true rest isn’t just about physical relief, but about transformation through God’s grace and community support.

You will find this theme beautifully expressed across all programme components. The Worship Service features a playlet about a young girl named Chioma and stories of three Nigerian women: Beatrice, Jato, and Blessing. Their experiences reveal how God provides rest through community support, faith, and hope.

The Bible Study explores divine rest from creation to Jesus’ time, examining wisdom traditions and Jesus’ transformation of rest from rigid rules to liberating mercy. The Children’s Programme includes prayers, storytelling, and other activities that help children understand how they can both receive and extend God’s rest to others. Through interactive elements, children learn about Nigeria’s rich culture while exploring what it means to bring their burdens to God and help others who are weary.

The Country Background provides comprehensive information about Nigeria’s history, culture, and contemporary challenges, with special attention to the achievements and struggles of Nigerian women. Original music composed for the programme includes a moving theme song by Chisom R. Chukwumerije, written especially for this World Day of Prayer service. The song invites those who are weary and oppressed to find comfort and rest in God. The artistic work of Gift Amarachi Ottah beautifully captures the theme through her depiction of burdens carried by women from diverse backgrounds.

The WDP Nigerian Committee has woven together their cultural wisdom with the universal need for rest. Through symbols like the calabash bowl, which represents both daily sustenance and divine provision, they remind us how God meets us in our weariness. As we prepare for WDP 2026, may we learn to embody Jesus’ invitation: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary.’ Together, let us become channels of God’s rest in our troubled world.

Additional information be accessed and downloaded on our Resources page.

Country Background Information

This program calls all to come closer to God and find rest in God. When we totally trust and have faith in God, our burdens become light, and we find rest. The program was written by a group of ecumenical Christian Nigerian women in response to the theme, “I Will Give You Rest: Come” (Matthew 11:28-30). We reflected collectively on this theme from the context of our experiences as Nigerian Christian women. We hope to inspire other women in the world to unite and pray as one people. As we trust God, our Burden Bearer, we become one body in Christ, receiving and bringing rest to the world.

Nigeria is located on the western coast of Africa, boasting a diverse geography that spans 910,770 km2 and 853 km of coastline. It has a population of over 211 million, making it the most populous country in Africa. Until 1991 Lagos was the capital of Nigeria. It has a population of more than 21 million, is the largest city in Nigeria and has the most populous urban area in Africa. It is one of the fastest growing megacities in the world. The new capital is Abuja which is situated at the geographic midpoint of the country.

The country’s climate ranges from equatorial in the south to arid in the north with a tropical climate in the central regions. Nigeria experiences 2 major seasons: dry and rainy, contributing to its rich agricultural potential. The nation’s landscape is abundant, offering ample space for agricultural, industrial and commercial activities. Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa but faces complex economic challenges. Oil exports have traditionally driven growth, but this has created vulnerability to global price fluctuations. The nation actively works to diversify its economy through agriculture, services and manufacturing, while addressing significant infrastructure deficits in transportation and power supply.

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Artist: Gift Amarachi Ottah

Gift Amarachi Ottah, a final-year Mass Communication student at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike in Ebonyi State, draws inspiration from her home state of Abia in Nigeria. Following her family’s tradition in creative arts and printing, Gift has developed a unique artistic voice that speaks to the struggles and strength of Nigerian women. She was motivated to design this artwork for the 2026 World Day of Prayer program because of the burdens that Nigerian women are facing. She hopes that her art will help to amplify their voices.

Description of the artwork

Rest for the Weary

My artwork depicts the daily reality of rural Nigerian women, whose lives are marked by endless labor from sunrise to sunset. These women traverse treacherous paths to their farms, often carrying both their harvest and their children – a toddler strapped to their back, a heavy load balanced on their head, while guiding other children along unmaintained roads through thick bush.

The artwork also shows three women sitting together, their different traditional attire representing Nigeria’s diverse cultures. Though they come from different ethnic groups, their shared experiences unite them. To meet their basic survival needs, these women carry burdens and traumas that are physical, emotional and spiritual.

Yet there is hope for the many burdens these people are carrying. These burdens become bearable when we respond to Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” When we bring our weariness to Christ and support one another in community, we find rest and strength to continue our journey.