Week: Hospitality - Mary and Martha
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 hospitality, thank You for inviting us into Your family. As we sit at Your table and taste Your words to us, may they give us all the strength we need.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Eli
1 Peter 4:9
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9 (NIVUK)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re continuing to REFLECT on Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha’s house. Martha was getting everything sorted, while Mary was sitting with Jesus.
Read by Eli
Luke 10:40-42
But Martha was busy with all the work to be done. She went in and said, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me.’
But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her.’
Luke 10:40-42 (NCV)
Hospitality isn’t just about doing things for people. It’s not just about offering visitors the best meal, and letting them stay in our best room (although all of that is good). Hospitality is more to do with offering ourselves than our stuff. It’s about giving who we are… giving our time, our undistracted attention, our presence.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: When have we been to someone’s house and really felt welcomed. Why did we feel like that?
Let’s think for a moment of all the different people who we are going to see in the next 24 hours.
Lord Jesus, we ASK You to help us to be really present with these people when we see them – to give them our full attention, to listen well and not let ourselves be distracted. Help us to be hospitable in this way.
We think about those who feel a bit like Martha at the moment – worried, upset and overwhelmed by the things that are going on in their lives.
Lord Jesus, we ASK You to comfort them and strengthen them. May they realise that they are not alone, that You are with them.
If a particular person has come to mind, what could we do to offer hospitality to them by helping or encouraging them today?
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.
Luke 10:40-42
But Martha was busy with all the work to be done. She went in and said, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me.’
But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her.’
Luke 10:40-42 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, we say YES to being more like Mary today – giving You our full attention. We know that this is the ‘one thing’ that is important, and so we offer You the things that are worrying and upsetting us, and we fix our eyes on You.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
1 Peter 4:9
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9 (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.
Unathi lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her husband and 5 kids; and has a passion for seeing families thriving.
You’ll most likely find her homeschooling the tribe, reading, writing, or dreaming about the next DIY project.
She also loves good coffee, dark chocolate and hiking.
Eli lives in Melbourne, Victoria with his mum, dad and two younger sisters. He enjoys music, reading, riding his skateboard and playing soccer.
