Week: Holy Hospitality
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 Noelle
2 Peter 1:3
Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God.
2 Peter 1:3 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
The Bible tells the story of how God created the world and everything in it in six days. Today we’re REFLECTING on the sixth day, when God made Adam and Eve.
Read by Noelle
Genesis 1:28,31
God blessed them and said, ‘Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ God looked at everything he had made, and it was very good. Evening passed, and morning came. This was the sixth day.
Genesis 1:28,31 (NCV)
In the creation story, God saves the best until last. On the sixth and final day of making the Universe, God created people – and He loved what He’d made. God welcomed Adam and Eve into their new home, the Garden of Eden, and He gave them food and water.
The word ‘hospitality’ means the ‘generous and friendly treatment of visitors’*, and that’s exactly what God was like with Adam and Eve. God is the first and best ever example of hospitality.
God made the whole universe. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is; What have we made, built or created that we thought was very good?
And now let’s ASK God to help us and others.
Father God, You made the whole universe and gave it not only to Adam and Eve, but to us as well. We ASK that You would help us to see, appreciate and care for all that you have given to us.
If we started a ‘Thankful Jar’ at the beginning of the year – where we keep a record of the things that we are grateful for – maybe we could use it now. And if we haven’t, maybe this is a good opportunity to start one. Start by writing or drawing on a piece of paper something that we’re thankful for, then fold it and put it in the jar. If we keep on doing this, then over time, the jar fills up and we are reminded of what God has done for us.
When God created us He also gave us the job of looking after everything He’d made.
Creator God, when You created the world it was very good, it was perfect. When we look at the world now though some of it doesn’t seem so good. We ASK that You would send Your Holy Spirit to give wisdom and understanding to organisations working to restore the beauty in our world today.
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.
Genesis 1:28,31
God blessed them and said, “Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” God looked at everything he had made, and it was very good. Evening passed, and morning came. This was the sixth day.
Genesis 1:28,31 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Creator God, thank you for the wisdom that we’ve heard from Your Word today. We say YES to walking the way that You want us to, and we begin with gratitude. Thank you God, for everything that you have made and given to us.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s see if we can remember our memory verse and say it together:
2 Peter 1:3
Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God.
2 Peter 1:3 (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.
Noelle is 11 and lives in Kansas City, Missouri USA, with her parents, sisters and dogs. She loves animals, playing basketball, creating art and teamwork. Noelle gives the best hugs.
