Welcome to Lectio for Families. This week we are continuing our series exploring the life and teachings of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.

We’re going to need some money – a card will do if we can’t find any coins – for our ASK prayers in a few minutes. (Parents and carers, don’t worry, we’re not actually going to spend any.)

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.

Pause

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

Prayer of Welcome

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.

Rejoice

Memory Verse

We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:

God, help us to remember Your Word.

Reflect

Bible Reading

Today, we’re REFLECTING on something that caught Jesus’ attention while He and the disciples were in the Temple one day.

Read by Bella
Mark 12:41-44
Jesus sat near the Temple money box and watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money. Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which were only worth a few cents.
Calling his followers to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on.’
Mark 12:41-44 (NCV)

Jesus said that the poor widow ‘gave more than all the rich people’. At first this doesn’t make sense because she only gave a few coins while the rich people gave lots more in comparison. But Jesus explained that the rich people still had lots of money – in fact, they’d given money that they didn’t need. It didn’t make any difference to them, so it wasn’t a sacrifice, and it wasn’t generous either. The woman, however, had given a few coins that she really needed. What she’d given was a huge sacrifice. She gave generously, trusting that God would provide for her.

The way that we give to God, and to other people, doesn’t have to just be about money or our things. We can give our time, our energy, even our skills and abilities.

Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: How could we be generous and give to other people over the next few days?

• PAUSE the audio player now

Ask

ASK Prayers

The apostle Paul wrote: ‘Each of you should give as you have decided in your heart to give. You should not be sad when you give, and you should not give because you feel forced to give. God loves the person who gives happily.’ (2 Corinthians 9:7 NCV)

Let’s pick up the coin or the card that we collected earlier and imagine that it represents everything that we have. Let’s hold it in our open palms.

Father God, everything that we have and everything that we are belongs to You. We ASK You to help us to give and live generously wherever we can.

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

And God, we also pray for our church and the churches in our neighbourhood. We ASK You to help us to give and live generously too. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear those around us who have needs, so that we can serve them and love them.

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Yes

Bible Reading

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 12:41-44
Jesus sat near the Temple money box and watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money. Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which were only worth a few cents.
Calling his followers to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on.’
Mark 12:41-44 (NCV)

What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and tell each other

YES Prayer

And now, let’s say YES to God together.

Lord God, we say YES to becoming more like You in the way that we love others by giving generously to them.

Memory Verse

After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:

Closing Prayer

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.