Week: Holy Week
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.
We will each need a piece of paper for our ASK prayers a little later.
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 Jesus, as we journey through Holy Week together, we remember that You chose to suffer and die because of Your great love for us. We also remember that You rose from the dead, and that You’re alive today. We look forward to meeting with You in new ways this week.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Max
Revelation 1:18
[Jesus said] I am the One who lives; I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever!
Revelation 1:18a (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today is Good Friday, and we’re REFLECTING on the moment Jesus died on the cross, and on one of the strange things that happened immediately afterwards.
Read by Max
Mark 15:37-39
…Jesus cried in a loud voice and died.
The curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. When the army officer who was standing in front of the cross saw what happened when Jesus died, he said, ‘This man really was the Son of God!’
Mark 15:37-39 (NCV)
The curtain in the Temple was huge! It was 18 metres high – which is like ten adults standing on each other’s shoulders (try to imagine that for a moment!) – and it was really thick. The curtain was important too. Behind it was a space called the ‘Holy of Holies’, and only one special person was allowed inside, once a year. The curtain represented the barrier between selfish, sinful people – that’s us – and a perfect, holy God.
But, as Jesus died, the curtain was torn in two – from the unreachable top, right down to the bottom. Jesus’ death removed the barrier between people and God. A day of incredible pain and suffering for Jesus became a Good Friday for everyone in the world, forever.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: When have we seen something so tall that it made us go ‘wow’? Maybe it was a building, or an incredibly tall tree?
Let’s each pick up a piece of paper and, as we pray together, let’s slowly tear it in half.
Lord Jesus, thank You for removing the barrier between us and God. Thank You that You forgive us, and that You make a way for us to be with God.
In today’s Bible reading, one of the Roman soldiers who was standing close to the cross suddenly realised that Jesus ‘really was the Son of God’.
Lord Jesus, we pray for those who are standing close to You but haven’t yet realised that You died for them too. Maybe they’ve been coming along to church, or maybe their family are Christians but they’re not yet. We ASK that You would open their eyes to see who You really are.
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 15:37-39
…Jesus cried in a loud voice and died.
The curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. When the army officer who was standing in front of the cross saw what happened when Jesus died, he said, ‘This man really was the Son of God!’
Mark 15:37-39 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, like the Roman soldier, we see who you really are – we say YES, You really are the Son of God – the one who showed His great love for us by dying on the cross.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Revelation 1:18
[Jesus said] I am the One who lives; I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever!
Revelation 1:18a (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.
Max is 9 years old and lives in Melbourne, Australia with his older brother and mum and dad. He often rides his bike to school and enjoys being creative by drawing or building with Lego. Max is also learning how to play the electric guitar and loves turning it up loud!
