Week: One Anothers
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.
As always, 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
What a friend we have in You, Jesus. We’re ready for the new things that You want to show us and say to us about being friends with You, and with others too.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Elanor
1 Peter 4:10
Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God’s various gifts of grace.
1 Peter 4:10 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on some verses from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, where he offers some advice on how to be a good friend to others.
Read by Elanor
Romans 12:9-10 (NLT)
Romans 12:9-10
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Athletes who go to the Olympics put all their focus into their sporting event – they eat and drink the right things, they train their bodies and they also train their minds to make sure that nothing can stop them from doing the best they possibly can.
What if friendship was an Olympic event? How could we train ourselves to be better friends with other people?
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: How could we be better friends with other people at school or even at home this week? Maybe we could encourage someone else, or listen to them, or give them a big hug if they need it?
In today’s Bible passage Paul says something really challenging; ‘Don’t pretend to love others. Really love them.’ Let’s take a moment to think of someone we’re finding difficult to be friends with at the moment, and ASK for God’s help.
Loving God, thank you for showing us what true love looks like. We ASK You to help us love others a little more like You do.
Paul says that part of being a good friend is hating what is wrong. When something wrong is happening to one of our friends, we can stand up for them, or stand with them.
Father God, when we see things that are wrong, we ASK You to give us courage to do something about it. Help us to be good friends who stand alongside others, listening well and supporting 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.
Romans 12:9-10
Romans 12:9-10 (NLT)
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Good friends love each other well, so we say YES to growing in Your love, God! We’re ready. We’re set. Let’s go for it!
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
1 Peter 4:10
Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God’s various gifts of grace.
1 Peter 4:10 (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.
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.
