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Being Good Friends

An Unlikely Friendship

Week: David & Jonathan

  • P.R.A.Y
  • Pause
  • Rejoice
  • Reflect
  • Ask
  • Yes
Phil Liliwyn
With Phil and Liliwyn
Welcome to Lectio for Families. We are continuing our ‘Being Good Friends’ series, and this week we’re looking at a really good example of friendship in the Bible, between David and Jonathan.

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

What a friend we have in You, Jesus. We’re ready for the new things that You want to show us and say to us about being friends with You, and with others too.


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

When David saved King Saul and the armies of Israel by killing Goliath, the Philistine giant, Saul was delighted. Today, we’re REFLECTING on the beginning of David’s friendship with King Sauls’ son, Jonathan.

Read by Liliwyn
1 Samuel 18:1-4
When David finished talking with Saul, Jonathan felt very close to David. He loved David as much as he loved himself. Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him go home to his father’s house. Jonathan made an agreement with David, because he loved David as much as himself. He took off his coat and gave it to David, along with his armor, including his sword, bow, and belt.
1 Samuel 18:1-4 (NCV)

David and Jonathan were from very different backgrounds, and so they were unlikely friends. David was a shepherd and Jonathan was a prince, and so they probably wore very different clothes too. Maybe David didn’t feel good enough to be Jonathan’s friend at first? Why would Jonathan want to be David’s friend?

However, what David wore and where he was from didn’t matter to Jonathan – David was his friend and Jonathan loved him. He even gave David his coat and his armour as a sign of their friendship, which was his way of showing that he saw David as his friend and his equal.

Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What are some ways we can show people that they are our friends?

  • PAUSE the audio player now

Ask

ASK Prayers

And now let’s ask God to help us and others.

Jesus, thank you that whoever we are, whatever background we come from or what clothes we wear You want to be our friend. As we reflect on the special friendship that David and Jonathan had this week, we ASK You to help us remember the special friendship that we have with You too.

  • OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Lots of people in our world – even people in our local communities – are treated badly or differently because of their background or where they come from.

Loving God, thank you that when you made us, you made us all in your image… all equally wonderful. We want our world to be a place where everyone knows that they are valuable and valued. So we ASK you to help those who feel like they are less than others in some way to know just how special they really are.

  • 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.

1 Samuel 18:1-4
When David finished talking with Saul, Jonathan felt very close to David. He loved David as much as he loved himself. Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him go home to his father’s house. Jonathan made an agreement with David, because he loved David as much as himself. He took off his coat and gave it to David, along with his armor, including his sword, bow, and belt.
1 Samuel 18:1-4 (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 thank you that you call us all your friends (John 15:15). We say YES to being friends with you!

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.

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Your Memory Verse

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Phil

Phil

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.

Liliwyn

Liliwyn

Liliwyn is 16 and lives in Kansas City, USA, with her parents, sisters and dogs. She is a good friend and enjoys designing, music, traveling, math and watching American Football (especially the KC Chiefs).

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