Week: 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.
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
Jesus, we hear You inviting us, and so we choose to follow You, with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our souls and with all our strength.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Bella
John 14:12
[Jesus said] ‘I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these.’
John 14:12a (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Jesus’ disciples were confused and a bit worried about the future. We’re REFLECTING on the story that Jesus told them to reassure them.
Read by Bella
Mark 13:32-35
[Jesus said] ‘No one knows when that day or time will be, not the angels in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. Be careful! Always be ready, because you don’t know when that time will be. It is like a man who goes on a trip. He leaves his house and lets his servants take care of it, giving each one a special job to do. The man tells the servant guarding the door always to be watchful. So always be ready, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will come back.’
Mark 13:32-35a (NCV)
We know some things about the future – things that we’ve planned to do, birthdays, special events at school or at work – but there are lots of things about the future that we don’t know.
Sometimes we wonder about the future, and sometimes we worry about it. It’s normal to have these feelings. However, if we’re not careful we can end up wondering and worrying so much about what’s going to happen in the future – even about what might happen tomorrow – that we forget to live fully today.
Just ‘be ready’, says Jesus. Be ready to live fully today. And trust that God knows the future and that He will be with us each new day begins.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What are we looking forward to? Maybe it’s a holiday or a birthday, or maybe it’s the end of a school term?
And now let’s ask God to help us and others.
Jesus, we ASK You to help us not to worry too much about the future – or even about tomorrow – but to live fully today. Help us to trust that You will be with us.
In today’s Bible passage, the man gave each person a ‘special job’ to do. Jesus used this story to explain that God also gives each of us special things to do. Most of the time they’re small things, but they can make a big difference. Things like; being kind to someone or helping them out, being generous, even praying for someone.
Loving Father, as we wait quietly for a moment, we ASK You to speak to us. What ‘special job’ do You want to give to us over the next few days?
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 13:32-35
[Jesus said] ‘No one knows when that day or time will be, not the angels in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. Be careful! Always be ready, because you don’t know when that time will be. It is like a man who goes on a trip. He leaves his house and lets his servants take care of it, giving each one a special job to do. The man tells the servant guarding the door always to be watchful. So always be ready, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will come back.’
Mark 13:32-35a (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 trusting You and being ready to live fully – and to doing the ‘special jobs’ that God gives to us.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
John 14:12
[Jesus said] ‘I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these.’
John 14:12a (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.
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.
Bella is 13 years old and lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her mum, dad and cocker spaniel Summer. She loves art, performing and Jesus!
