Week: Mission - God's plan, God's purpose
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
God of rescue and restoration, thank You for Your beautiful mission to save the whole world. Here we are, Lord. Fill us with Your Spirit, and send us so that we can join in with Your mission.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Max
Ephesians 1:10
When the time is right, God will do all he has planned, and Christ will bring together everything in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 1:10 (CEV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we are continuing to REFLECT on verses from Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. In these, he shows that joining in with God’s mission in the world involves challenging unfairness and injustice.
Read by Max
Colossians 3:11
In the new life there is no difference between Greeks and Jews, those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised, or people who are foreigners, or Scythians. There is no difference between slaves and free people. But Christ is in all believers, and Christ is all that is important.
Colossians 3:11 (NCV)
The culture that Paul and the Colossians lived in was unfair and unequal. Men had more opportunities than women. People from some places felt they were more important than people from other places. And slaves had no power over their own lives at all. But that’s just the way things were – people accepted it because they didn’t feel like they could do anything to change it.
And so, when people read these verses from Paul’s letter, they would’ve been really shocked. Paul was challenging them to see that everyone was actually equal – because of Jesus, everyone was equally valuable and important. And he challenged them to live like it too.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What have we seen or heard about recently that seemed unfair? Maybe it was something at school or work, or maybe it was something on the news?
And now, let’s ASK God to help us and others.
Lord Jesus, we ASK You to search our hearts. Show us if we’ve behaved unfairly towards anyone recently, and please show us how we can change too. We love the way You love people, Jesus – help us to love people more like You.
Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of unfairness and inequality in the world today. In some cultures, men still have more opportunities than women. People from some places still feel that they are more important than people from other places. And people are still slaves in some parts of the world too.
Loving God, please save the world. We desperately want the world to be more fair and equal, and we know that You do too. We ASK You to be with those who are suffering because of injustice – please set the captives free.
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.
Colossians 3:11
In the new life there is no difference between Greeks and Jews, those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised, or people who are foreigners, or Scythians. There is no difference between slaves and free people. But Christ is in all believers, and Christ is all that is important.
Colossians 3:11 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Loving God, we say YES to treating and loving everyone equally. And we say YES to playing our part in Your mission to save the whole world by making it a fairer, more equal place to live.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Ephesians 1:10
When the time is right, God will do all he has planned, and Christ will bring together everything in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 1:10 (CEV)
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.
Max is 9 years old and lives in Melbourne, Australia with his older brother and mum and dad. He often rides his bike to school and enjoys being creative by drawing or building with Lego. Max is also learning how to play the electric guitar and loves turning it up loud!
