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 Kate
Romans 15:13
I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him.
Romans 15:13a (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on a question that Jesus asked His disciples while they were travelling.
Read by Kate
Mark 8:27-29 (NCV)
Mark 8:27-29
Jesus and his followers went to the towns around Caesarea Philippi. While they were traveling, Jesus asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ They answered, ‘Some say you are John the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ.’
When Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ it wasn’t because He didn’t know who He was, and He wasn’t worried about His popularity either. He was starting a conversation and building up to a really important question – ‘Who do you say I am?’
He asked this question because He wanted to make sure that His disciples knew that He wasn’t just a good teacher, a prophet or even a miracle worker. Jesus was the Christ, the son of God.
Sometimes people thought Jesus was someone else. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: If we could be someone else for just one day – anyone at all – who would it be?
Jesus was getting His disciples ready to tell others about Him. Who could we tell about Jesus?
Loving God, as we think about these friends, we ASK that You give us the courage and an opportunity to tell them about Jesus this week.
Some people think that Jesus was simply a good man, but they don’t realise that He is much more than that.
Lord Jesus, we pray for these people and ASK that, like Peter, they realise that You are the Christ, the Son of God, and that Your love for them changes everything.
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 8:27-29
Mark 8:27-29 (NCV)
Jesus and his followers went to the towns around Caesarea Philippi. While they were traveling, Jesus asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ They answered, ‘Some say you are John the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ.’
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Jesus, You are the Christ, the only Son of God. You are the way, the truth and the life, the only way to know God. (John 14:6) We say YES to following You.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Romans 15:13
I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him.
Romans 15:13a (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.
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.
Kate is 11 and lives in Melbourne Australia, with her parents, younger sister, and puppy Leo. Kate loves visual arts, reading, playing basketball and spending time with her family.
