Week: God's Mission
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
Lord God, we look forward to discovering more of Your wisdom in the Old Testament. Show us the way You want us to live, and help us to walk in it today.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Liliwyn
1 Corinthians 1:24
Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:24 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, and they had been crying out to God in prayer. Today, we’re REFLECTING on how God responded.
Read by Liliwyn
Exodus 6:6-7
So tell the people of Israel that I say to them, ‘I am the Lord. I will save you from the hard work the Egyptians force you to do. I will make you free, so you will not be slaves to the Egyptians. I will free you by my great power, and I will punish the Egyptians terribly. I will make you my own people, and I will be your God.’
Exodus 6:6-7a (NCV)
The Israelites felt powerless. They weren’t in control of their own lives, and they were often treated unkindly, sometimes violently. This broke God’s heart. While the Egyptian leaders used their power for evil, God used His power to set his people free.
In this story, and in many others throughout the Bible, we see that God’s mission – God’s purpose – is always to set people free.
What was happening to the people of Israel wasn’t right or fair. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What are some things in our world today that don’t feel right or fair?
God set the Israelites free from being slaves, but God also sets us free in all sorts of ways too. God sets us free to express ourselves and to love others, and God sets us free from things too, like fears and worries.
Let’s take a moment to talk with God about how we want to be more free.
In today’s Bible reading the Egyptians had power because they were in charge. What kinds of people have ‘power’ today? We could think of people who have ‘influence’ too – that’s a type of power.
Loving God, You use your power to set people free. We ASK that You would guide all those who have power and influence – including us – to use the power that we have for good, to use it in such a way that others are set free.
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.
Exodus 6:6-7
So tell the people of Israel that I say to them, ‘I am the Lord. I will save you from the hard work the Egyptians force you to do. I will make you free, so you will not be slaves to the Egyptians. I will free you by my great power, and I will punish the Egyptians terribly. I will make you my own people, and I will be your God.’
Exodus 6:6-7a (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Loving God, thank You for the wisdom that we’ve heard from Your Word today. We say YES to walking the way You want us to. And we say YES to being set free and helping others to be more free too!
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s see if we can remember our memory verse and say it together:
1 Corinthians 1:24
Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:24 (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.
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 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).
