Week: Holy Spirit Adventures - the Book of Acts
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, like the disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, we’re patiently waiting for You to fill us with Your power and with Your presence. We’re ready for You to send us on new adventures.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Elanor
1 Corinthians 3:16
Surely you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you!
1 Corinthians 3:16 (GNT)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re continuing to REFLECT on Saul’s incredible story and his life-changing encounter with Jesus. Yesterday, we read that Jesus stopped Saul in his tracks and spoke to him from within a blinding light. For three days afterwards, Saul couldn’t see anything, and he didn’t eat or drink either.
Read by Elanor
Acts 9:10-15
The Lord said to [Ananias], ‘Get up and go to Straight Street. Find the house of Judas, and ask for a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. He is there now, praying. Saul has seen a vision in which a man named Ananias comes to him and lays his hands on him. Then he is able to see again.’
But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, many people have told me about this man and the terrible things he did to your holy people in Jerusalem. Now he has come here to Damascus, and the leading priests have given him the power to arrest everyone who worships you.’
But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! I have chosen Saul for an important work.’
Acts 9:10-15a (NCV)
Ananias was afraid! He’d heard all about Saul and how terrible Saul was to the followers of Jesus. Ananias didn’t want to go – and we probably wouldn’t have either! However, Ananias was full of the Holy Spirit, and this gave him the courage to trust that God was leading him even though visiting Saul seemed like a very dangerous thing to do. And simply because Ananias was willing to go, Saul’s life was changed forever and many, many more people came to know Jesus.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What’s something scary that we’ve done recently?
It isn’t always easy to talk to people about Jesus. Sometimes, like Ananias, we feel a bit afraid. But that’s OK, because God is always with us.
Father God, we know that when You ask us to do something we’re never alone – Your Spirit is always with us. We ASK You to help us to be brave, just like Ananias, so that others can hear and experience the good news of Your love through us.
God sent Ananias to help Saul understand that God had plans for Saul’s life. Let’s think of the people in our lives who have helped us understand and know God better.
Loving God, we thank You for the different people You have sent into our lives to help us get to know you better. Thank You for their kindness and their courage, and for the love they have shown us too.
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 9:10-15
The Lord said to [Ananias], ‘Get up and go to Straight Street. Find the house of Judas, and ask for a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. He is there now, praying. Saul has seen a vision in which a man named Ananias comes to him and lays his hands on him. Then he is able to see again.’
But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, many people have told me about this man and the terrible things he did to your holy people in Jerusalem. Now he has come here to Damascus, and the leading priests have given him the power to arrest everyone who worships you.’
But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! I have chosen Saul for an important work.’
Acts 9:10-15a (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Holy Spirit, we say YES to going on adventures with You. We say YES to trusting you and following you, even when we feel afraid, because You are with us.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
1 Corinthians 3:16
Surely you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you!
1 Corinthians 3:16 (GNT)
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.
Elanor is 12 years old and lives in East London with her parents and younger brother. She enjoys going on adventures with her friends, reading lots of books, horse riding, acting, singing, dancing and finding different ways to pray to God.
