Week: Holy Week
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.
As usual, 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
Lord Jesus, during this special, holy week, we remember that You suffered, died and came back to life again, and You did all of this because of Your great love for us. We look forward to the new things You want to say to us this week.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s great love with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Max
John 3:16
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.
John 3:16, (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today is known as Good Friday, and we’re REFLECTING on the moment that Jesus died on the cross, and on the strange things that happened immediately afterwards.
Read by Max
Matthew 27:50-51,54
But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and died. Then the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart… When the army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything else that happened, they were very frightened and said, ‘He really was the Son of God!’
Matthew 27:50-51,54 (NCV)
The curtain in the Temple was HUGE! It was over 18 metres high – that’s like ten tall adults – and 10cm thick, and only one special person was allowed to go past it, once a year. The curtain symbolised the barrier between God and the people. God was holy, but the people weren’t. The people – that’s us, by the way – were selfish and sinful, and so they were separated from God.
However, when Jesus died, a strange thing happened. The curtain was torn in half, from the unreachable top, all the way to the bottom, meaning that the barrier between God and the people was gone. A day of incredible pain and suffering for Jesus became Good Friday for everyone, forever!
18 metres is really high. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: When have we been really high up? Maybe it was a tall building or up a mountain? (Flying doesn’t count, so no planes, helicopters, spaceships or anything like that.)
Let’s each pick up a piece of paper, and as we pray together, let’s slowly tear it in half.
Lord Jesus, thank you for getting rid of the barrier between us and God. Thank you that You forgive our selfishness and sin, and that You make a way for us to be with Father God, forever.
In today’s Bible reading, some of the Roman soldiers who were standing nearby when Jesus died suddenly realised that Jesus was the Son of God!
Lord Jesus, we pray for those who are ‘standing nearby’ but haven’t yet realised that You are the Son of God and that You died for them too. Maybe they’ve been coming to church, or maybe they’re part of families who are Christians. We ASK that You would open their eyes to see who You really are.
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.
Matthew 27:50-51,54
But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and died. Then the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart… When the army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything else that happened, they were very frightened and said, ‘He really was the Son of God!’
Matthew 27:50-51,54 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, like the Roman soldiers, we say YES, You really are the Son of God, and we want to follow You.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
John 3:16
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.
John 3:16, (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, daughter 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 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!
