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 Your invitation, 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 Hubo
Psalm 93:2
Lord, your kingdom was set up long ago. You are everlasting.
Psalm 93:2 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
We’re REFLECTING today on how Jesus showed God’s mercy.
Read by Hubo
Mark 3:1-2,5 (NCV)
Mark 3:1-2,5
Another time when Jesus went into a synagogue, a man with a crippled hand was there. Some people watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day so they could accuse him. Jesus was angry as he looked at the people, and he felt very sad because they were stubborn. Then he said to the man, ‘Hold out your hand.’ The man held out his hand and it was healed.
The religious leaders said that it was wrong to heal on the Sabbath. For example, according to their rules, if you cut your finger on the Sabbath, you could stop the bleeding but you weren’t allowed to put anything on it to make it better. Crazy, hey?
The religious leaders claimed that their rules were also God’s rules, and they really wanted to catch Jesus breaking one of these important rules. However, by showing mercy and kindness to people in need, Jesus showed the religious leaders, and everyone else, that God’s Sabbath was not just about resting, but it was also about doing good.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What stories can we think of, either from the Bible or from our own experience, of God healing someone?
Sometimes we get a bit upset when people don’t do things the way that we want them done. We say we want things done the ‘right’ way, but what we really mean is that we want them done our way.
Lord Jesus, please forgive us when we behave like this. We ASK You to help us not to judge other people, but to always see the good in them.
There are so many stories in the Bible of Jesus healing people. Who do we know who isn’t well at the moment?
Lord Jesus, as we name these people to You now we ASK You to heal them.
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 3:1-2,5
Mark 3:1-2,5 (NCV)
Another time when Jesus went into a synagogue, a man with a crippled hand was there. Some people watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day so they could accuse him. Jesus was angry as he looked at the people, and he felt very sad because they were stubborn. Then he said to the man, ‘Hold out your hand.’ The man held out his hand and it was healed.
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, we are always amazed at the way that You show mercy to those in need, like the crippled man in this story. We say YES to receiving Your mercy for ourselves, because we need it, and to sharing it with others.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Psalm 93:2
Lord, your kingdom was set up long ago. You are everlasting.
Psalm 93:2 (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.
Joy lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and her dog. She works for Bridgetown Church where she leads kids as they grow, learn, and have lots of fun. Joy loves gardening, summer camp, eating ice cream, and reading her favourite books, The Chronicles of Narnia.
Hubolodumo (Hubo) is 10 years old, and lives In Johannesburg, South Africa with his parents and 4 siblings.
When he’s not busy trying out ninja moves, he’s practicing the latest dance moves, playing soccer, drawing or playing games with his friends.
