Week: Creativity - God's creativity in us
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
Creator God, You formed us from dust, breathe in us again. We’re ready for the new things that You want to show us and say to us and even create through us today.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Bea
Psalm 104:24
Lord, you have made many things; with your wisdom you made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
Psalm 104:24
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we are REFLECTING on God’s artistic abilities.
Read by Bea
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
The word ‘handiwork’, in today’s passage, comes from the Greek word ‘poiema’ which means poem or poetry. So, it literally means that we are God’s poem. We are an expression of his creativity, His work of art… and He is the Great Artist!
People write poems from their heart, and it’s the same with God. When God made us, He did it out of the overflow of love from His heart.
Artists create all kinds of things, such as; paintings, food, poems and beautiful buildings. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What other things can we think of that are ‘artistic’? (Here’s a clue, there are loads of things!)
When we see things on TV or social media, it’s easy to feel like we’re too tall, too short, too this or too that. But God says that we are perfect, priceless works of art! Let’s take a moment to receive this, and listen for anything that God wants to say to us about how he sees us.
Creator God, we ASK You to speak to us now.
The truth is that absolutely everyone in the world is God’s work of art. However, some people struggle to believe this. Sadly, when they look in the mirror, they don’t like what they see.
Loving God, we ASK You to be close to those who feel like this. Please help them to see what You see when You look at them – a work of art, wonderfully made in every way.
Maybe someone we know really struggles to believe that they are a work of art. What could we do to encourage them this week?
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.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together using some of David’s words from Psalm 139 (v14, NIV).
YES God, ‘I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.’
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Psalm 104:24
Lord, you have made many things; with your wisdom you made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
Psalm 104:24 (NIVUK)
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.
Phil lives close to a beach in the north of England with his wife, his daughters and his dogs. Phil works for 24-7 Prayer, mostly doing Lectio stuff, and helping to run Prayer Spaces in Schools. He runs a lot, usually for long distances. He likes curry, mountains, reading books and he still plays Pokemon Go.
Bea is 14 and she lives in Hampshire, in the UK, with her family. Her favourite football team is Manchester United, even though she lives a loooong way from Manchester. Bea likes horse riding and running, and when she’s older, she wants to become a vet, or a professional horse-rider.
