Week: How to Pray...
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
Our Father in heaven, we know that You are with us and that You want to talk with us – so we respond very simply by saying: ‘Here we are, we’re ready. Teach us how to pray.’
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Zoë
Ephesians 3:20
With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.
Ephesians 3:20 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today we’re continuing to REFLECT on the ‘A’ part of our P.R.A.Y process, how to ‘ASK’ God for things for others. This is called ‘intercession’.
Read by Zoë
1 Timothy 2:1-2
First, I tell you to pray for all people, asking God for what they need and being thankful to him. Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NCV)
We can all be an ‘intercessor’; someone who asks God for things for other people. We can pray for friends, family, neighbours and even people we don’t know, like leaders. We may not think that our prayers are effective, but they can be. The ‘butterfly effect’ that mathematician Edward Lorenzo explained, is that a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the world can eventually create a typhoon on the other side of the world. In the same way, our small prayers can cause something epic!
Paul tells Timothy to ‘pray for kings’. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: If we were a king or a queen for a day, what new law would we make to make our nation a better place?’
And now, we ASK God to help us to bless others.
Loving Lord, we want to be great intercessors for our friends, family, community, and leaders. Help us to ASK good questions and to listen well so we can find out how we can pray for them.
Let’s each think of some of the leaders in our lives, such as teachers, church leaders, club captains, youth and children’s workers, or managers at work. Let’s whisper their names quietly as we pray for them together.
Father God, we see that there is so much need for Your love and guidance in those around us and in leadership. We ASK that You would give them the wisdom they need to live and lead well, so that we can all enjoy the benefits of their good choices.
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 Timothy 2:1-2
First, I tell you to pray for all people, asking God for what they need and being thankful to him. Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, You hear all our prayers and we say YES to them having a positive impact on the world. We say YES to making time in our day to pray, knowing that You will do great things with our simple prayers.
Pause
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Ephesians 3:20
With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.
Ephesians 3:20 (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.
We say, ‘it is true’, and ‘we agree’ by saying together
Amen!
Content from today’s Lectio for Families is adapted from Pete Greig and Gemma Hunt’s book, ‘How to Pray: A Guide for Young Explorers’ (Hodder & Stoughton, 2022). Why not order your own copy? https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/how-to-pray-a-guide-for-young-explorers/
Chris lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two boys. He works for 24-7 Prayer Australia and Red Church and is also a professional musician. When he’s not working or drumming Chris enjoys going on long hikes in the mountains with his boys and playing table tennis.
Zoë Thandeka (Thandi) is 13 and she lives in Guildford, in the UK, with her family. She loves football (her favourite football team is Liverpool FC), Top Gear and car-spotting. When she’s older, Zoë wants to be a photographer or work with animals in some way.
