Week: Patience
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
Holy Spirit, You help us grow, each and every day, into who God made us to be. We’re ready to be changed a little bit more by You today.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Zoë
Psalm 62:5
I find rest in God;
only he gives me hope.
Psalm 62:5 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on some instructions that Paul, one of the leaders of the first church, gave to the Christians in Ephesus about how to live well with one other.
Read by Zoë
Ephesians 4:2-3
Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way.
Ephesians 4:2-3 (NCV)
We can probably all think of one person that we find just a teeny weeny bit difficult. Maybe it’s a sister or a brother or someone else at home, someone in our class at school or in our local community, or even someone at church.
So, how does Paul say we should try to be towards these people? He says be humble… be gentle… and be patient. Paul says that we are all joined together through the Holy Spirit, so we should ‘make every effort’ – or ‘try hard’ – to accept each other in love and stay together.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: How can we be humble or gentle or patient with other people this week? Let’s try to think of some examples.
At the end of every Lectio for Families, we ASK Jesus to help us see other people the way that He sees them. When we receive Jesus’ love for people, and we begin to see them with His love, it can help us to be more humble and gentle and patient with people.
Loving Jesus, as we think of the people that we know – especially those who we find a teeny weeny bit difficult – we ASK You to open our eyes so that we see them the way that You do.
In the Bible, most of Paul’s letters contain practical advice to the early Christians about how to love each other well. Paul writes about relationships because he knows how difficult they can be, and sometimes we need God’s help with them.
Loving God, we pray for those who are finding a particular relationship or friendship difficult. We ASK You to fill them with Your Holy Spirit – comfort them and give them the strength that they need. Help them to be more humble, gentle and patient.
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.
Ephesians 4:2-3
Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way.
Ephesians 4:2-3 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Father God, thank you for loving us, for accepting us just as we are. Thank you for being humble and gentle and patient with us. We say YES to becoming a bit more like You in these ways too.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Psalm 62:5
I find rest in God;
only he gives me hope.
Psalm 62:5 (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.
Unathi lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her husband and 5 kids; and has a passion for seeing families thriving.
You’ll most likely find her homeschooling the tribe, reading, writing, or dreaming about the next DIY project.
She also loves good coffee, dark chocolate and hiking.
Zoë Thandeka (Thandi) lives in Guildford, in the UK, with her family. She loves football (her favourite football team is Liverpool FC), Top Gear and car-spotting. When she’s older, Zoë wants to be a photographer or work with animals in some way.
