Week: Holy Spirit Adventures
As usual, each day we will simply pray (P.R.A.Y.) together.
P: PAUSING to be still.
R: REJOICING with a Memory Verse and REFLECTING on some verses from the Bible.
A: ASKING God to help us and others.
Y: saying YES to God’s ways.
We start by pausing and taking a deep breath:
In and out.
In and out.
We remember that God is here, and so together we prepare ourselves to be with God.
Pause
Holy Spirit, like the disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, we’re patiently waiting for You to fill us with Your power and with Your presence. We’re ready for You to send us on new adventures.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Hubo
Ezekiel 36:27
I will put my Spirit inside you and help you live by my rules and carefully obey my laws.
Ezekiel 36:27 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Paul met with the church leaders from Ephesus and told them that it was time for him to leave them. ‘I must obey the Holy Spirit and go to Jerusalem,’ he said. Although ‘I don’t know what will happen to me there.’ Today, we are REFLECTING on their sad goodbye.
Read by Hubo
Acts 20:24,36-38
[Paul said to them] ‘I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me – to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.’ When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. And they all cried because Paul had said they would never see him again. They put their arms around him and kissed him. Then they went with him to the ship.
Acts 20:24,36-38 (NCV)
Recently, our memory verse was about the Holy Spirit being like the wind, and about people who are filled with the Holy Spirit finding themselves blown by this ‘holy wind’ from place to place. Paul’s life was like this, but he learned to trust that wherever he went, the Holy Spirit always had things for him to do and people for him to meet.
As we’ve learnt throughout this series Paul’s life was an incredible Holy Spirit Adventure, but it wasn’t always easy. Of all the hard and difficult things Paul experienced, even being thrown in prison, it seems that the thing he found most difficult was saying goodbye to those he loved.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is; When have we had to say a difficult or sad goodbye? Maybe it was when we changed schools or moved to a new house, or even to a new country? How did we feel?
Maybe we’re saying goodbye to a place or to people that we love, or maybe other things in our lives are changing right now. Let’s close our eyes and offer these feelings to Jesus.
Lord Jesus, we know that You understand how we feel. As we offer it all, we open ourselves to receive comfort and strength through Your Holy Spirit.
In the introduction to today’s Bible passage, Paul said, ‘I must obey the Holy Spirit and go…’ Maybe we know someone who has obeyed the Holy Spirit’s call to a new job, a new school, a new city, even a new nation?
Lord Jesus, as we whisper the names of these brave people, we ASK You to be with them, wherever they are, whatever they’re doing right now. We ASK You to give them comfort and strength, especially if they’re missing loved ones.
If someone has come into our minds, let’s send them an encouraging message this weekend.
As we read the Bible again, let’s listen for a word or a phrase that the Holy Spirit might want to say to us from today’s verses.
Acts 20:24,36-38
[Paul said to them] ‘I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me – to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.’ When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. And they all cried because Paul had said they would never see him again. They put their arms around him and kissed him. Then they went with him to the ship.
Acts 20:24,36-38 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Holy Spirit, we say YES to going on adventures with You. We give our hearts and lives to You, and we receive Your Holy Spirit. We say YES, send us on all the Adventures that You have planned for us.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Ezekiel 36:27
I will put my Spirit inside you and help you live by my rules and carefully obey my laws.
Ezekiel 36:27 (NCV)
Let’s put a hand on our heart.
Father God, fill us with Your love. Help us to love You, and everything that You’ve made.
Let’s point to our eyes.
Lord Jesus, help us to see You, and to see others the way that You see them too.
Let’s point to our ears.
Holy Spirit, help us to hear You, and give us courage to do what You say.
Joy lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and her dog. She works for Bridgetown Church where she leads kids as they grow, learn, and have lots of fun. Joy loves gardening, summer camp, eating ice cream, and reading her favourite books, The Chronicles of Narnia.
Hubolodumo (Hubo) is 10 years old, and lives In Johannesburg, South Africa with his parents and 4 siblings.
When he’s not busy trying out ninja moves, he’s practicing the latest dance moves, playing soccer, drawing or playing games with his friends.
