Welcome to Lectio for Families. This week we are continuing to explore the life of Jesus as told in Mark’s Gospel.

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.

Pause

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

Prayer of Welcome

Jesus, we hear Your invitation, and so we choose to follow You, with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our souls and with all our strength.

Rejoice

Memory Verse

We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:

God, help us to remember Your Word.

Reflect

Bible Reading

Today, we’re reflecting on Jesus’ return to the city of Capernaum, where crowds of people tried to squeeze into the house He was visiting.

Read by Noelle
Mark 2:3-5
Four people came, carrying a paralyzed man. Since they could not get to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug a hole in the roof right above where he was speaking. When they got through, they lowered the mat with the paralyzed man on it. 5 When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Young man, your sins are forgiven.’
Mark 2:3-5 (NCV)

The paralysed man couldn’t walk and get to Jesus like everyone else. He needed his friends to help him. These friends didn’t give up when they realised it was impossible to get the man in the house through the door – they did something a little crazy instead. They dug a hole in the roof to get to Jesus!

Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: When did we need a friend to help us with something?

• PAUSE the audio player now

Ask

ASK Prayers

Let’s close our eyes and think about our friends. Maybe we could say their names quietly to God as we pray for them.

Loving God, we ASK You to bless these friends – we’re grateful for them, and grateful to You for giving them to us. We also ASK You to show us how to be even better friends to them.

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Are any of our friends facing something really difficult in their lives right now? Let’s imagine digging a hole in a roof for them, so that they can get to Jesus.

Jesus, as we think of our friends, we ASK You to heal them, forgive them or help them – whatever it is that they need.

Let’s quietly pray our own prayers for them now.

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Yes

Bible Reading

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.

Mark 2:3-5
Four people came, carrying a paralyzed man. Since they could not get to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug a hole in the roof right above where he was speaking. When they got through, they lowered the mat with the paralyzed man on it. 5 When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Young man, your sins are forgiven.’
Mark 2:3-5 (NCV)

What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and tell each other

YES Prayer

And now, let’s say YES to God together.

Jesus, we really want all of our friends to know You because You are the only one who can bring true healing and freedom to them – we want them to say YES to You too. We say YES to doing everything we can to help them, even when things look hard or impossible.

Memory Verse

After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:

Closing Prayer

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.