Week: Love (Lent)
As usual, 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
Holy Spirit, it’s You who helps us grow, each and every day, into who God made us to be. We’re ready to be changed a little bit more by You today.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Eli
Psalm 89:2
I will say, ‘Your love continues forever; your loyalty goes on and on like the sky.’
Psalm 89:2 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on what Peter said to the people who were watching when he healed a man who couldn’t walk. Let’s listen carefully to Peter’s words.
Read by Eli
Acts 3:18-20
[Peter said], ‘God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die. And now God has made these things come true in this way. So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins. Then the Lord will send the time of rest. And he will send Jesus, the One he chose to be the Christ.’
Acts 3:18-20 (NCV)
Today is known as ‘Ash Wednesday’ because in church services around the world, lots of Christians will have a small cross drawn on their forehead with ashes.
The tradition is meant to be a reminder that we were all made by God, and that we need God’s love and forgiveness. The cross shape reminds us of Jesus, and in particular the way that He suffered and died on a cross, because of His great love for us. For the many Christians around the world who celebrate Ash Wednesday, having the ash cross drawn on their foreheads is a way of saying, “Yes, we want to change our hearts and lives and come back to God’s great love”.
Let’s press pause and have an honest talk about today’s question, which is: Can we think of something we want (or need) to change in our hearts and lives?
Let’s get our pencils and pieces of paper and each draw a small cross as a sign of saying we were made by God, and we belong to God…
As we do, let’s quietly talk to God about the ways we want our hearts and lives to change to be more like Jesus.
After Peter told the people to change their lives and come back to God, many of them started to believe in Jesus. In fact, about 5,000 people decided to follow Jesus by the end of that day! (Acts 4:4)
Father God, we pray that our church, and the churches in our area, will be like the church we read about in the Bible. We ASK for people to be miraculously healed, for Christians to be like Peter and speak boldly, and for thousands of people to start following Jesus.
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.
Acts 3:18-20
[Peter said], ‘God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die. And now God has made these things come true in this way. So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins. Then the Lord will send the time of rest. And he will send Jesus, the One he chose to be the Christ.’
Acts 3:18-20 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Father God, we hear You inviting us to come back to You, and we say YES with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds and all our strength. Thank you for Your promise of giving us Jesus, just like Peter said.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Psalm 89:2
I will say, ‘Your love continues forever; your loyalty goes on and on like the sky.’
Psalm 89:2 (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.
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.
