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 Annika
John 8:12
[Jesus] said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’
John 8:12 (NIV UK)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on what happened when Jesus was baptised by John.
Read by Annika
Mark 1:9-11
At that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. Immediately, as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven open. The Holy Spirit came down on him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with you.’
Mark 1:9-11 (NCV)
When people say that they are pleased with us, it’s usually because we’ve done something good at school or at home. But Jesus hadn’t healed anyone, He hadn’t fed the five thousand, He hadn’t walked on the water and calmed the storms (we’ll get to all these stories another time), He hadn’t done anything yet when God said, ‘I am very pleased with you.’
Let’s press pause and chat about today’s question, which is: When has someone said that they were very pleased with us? Why did they say it?
Let’s listen to that phrase again, ‘I am very pleased with you,’ This is what God wants each of us to hear today. God loves us and is very pleased with us, whether we do anything good or not. God loves us that much.
Father God, we ASK You to help us remember just how much You love us, and that You are pleased with us.
Let’s pause and be still for a moment.
We ASK You, Holy Spirit, to put someone’s name into our mind – someone who might need to hear that God loves them and that God is pleased with them today.
Maybe we could send them a message, or write them a little card?
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 1:9-11
At that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. Immediately, as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven open. The Holy Spirit came down on him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with you.’
Mark 1:9-11 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Father God, we imagine Your voice coming from heaven, saying our names… ‘You are my daughter, you are my son, and I love you… I am very pleased with you.’ Thank You so much, Father God. We say YES as we receive Your incredible love for us.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
John 8:12
[Jesus] said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’
John 8:12 (NIV UK)
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.
Phil lives close to a beach in the north of England with his wife, his daughters and his dogs. Phil works for 24-7 Prayer, mostly doing Lectio stuff, and helping to run Prayer Spaces in Schools. He runs a lot, usually for long distances. He likes curry, mountains, reading books and he still plays Pokemon Go.
Annika lives in Melbourne, Australia with her parents and older brother and sister. Annika enjoys playing Cricket and Aussie Rules Football and loves going to watch her favourite team play football. Annika also learns the drums and enjoys making up her own beats!
