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6 Practices - Psalms

Praying for Others

Week: Prayer

  • P.R.A.Y
  • Pause
  • Rejoice
  • Reflect
  • Ask
  • Yes
Joy Hubo
With Joy and Hubo
Welcome to Lectio for Families. We’re continuing our series based on the book of Psalms and the six practices which are at the heart of Lectio for Families and 24-7 Prayer. This week, we’re focusing on the practice of prayer.

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.


Pause

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

Prayer of Welcome

Father God, as we draw near to You, please draw near to us too. Teach us to pray. Speak, Lord, we’re listening.


Rejoice

Memory Verse

We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:

God, help us to remember Your Word.


Reflect

Bible Reading

Today, we’re REFLECTING on another of David’s Psalms, where he prays to God for other people.

Read by Hubo
Psalm 20:1-2,4-5
May the Lord answer you in times of trouble.
May the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from his Temple
and support you from Mount Zion.
May he give you what you want
and make all your plans succeed,
and we will shout for joy when you succeed,
and we will raise a flag in the name of our God.
May the Lord give you all that you ask for.
Psalm 20:1-2,4-5 (NCV)

Praying to God for other people is sometimes called ‘intercession’, which means ‘speaking on behalf of someone else’. When we intercede in prayer, we speak to God on behalf of someone else – we ask God to do something for them.

In the four short verses we read from Psalm 20, David asks God to do all sorts of things for the people he is praying for. How many did we spot? Here’s a list:
Answer them when they are in trouble!
Protect them!
Send them help!
Support them!
Give them what they want!
Make their plans succeed!

Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: Which of these things do we need at the moment? Do we need an answer to something? Do we need protection? Do we need help or support? Is there something that we want? Do we have plans that we need to go well?

  • PAUSE the audio player now

Ask

ASK Prayers

Let’s begin our prayers bringing our own needs to God. Maybe it’s something that we just talked about, or maybe it’s something that we haven’t told anyone else. Let’s quietly ASK God for whatever it is that we need.

  • OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Let’s return to David’s list, and as we pray through each of them one by one, if any of our friends or family come into our minds, let’s pray that line for them particularly.

Loving God, we ASK You to answer their questions.
Loving God, we ASK You to protect them.
Loving God, we ASK You to help them.
Loving God, we ASK You to give them the support that they need.
Loving God, we ASK You to give them what they want.
Loving God, we ASK You to make their plans succeed.

  • OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Yes

Bible Reading

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.

Psalm 20:1-2,4-5
May the Lord answer you in times of trouble.
May the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from his Temple
and support you from Mount Zion.
May he give you what you want
and make all your plans succeed,
and we will shout for joy when you succeed,
and we will raise a flag in the name of our God.
May the Lord give you all that you ask for.
Psalm 20:1-2,4-5 (NCV)

What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?

  • OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and tell each other

YES Prayer

And now, let’s say YES to God together.

Loving God, thank you that You do hear and answer our prayers. We say YES to praying boldly for other people – for You to do good things in their lives.

Memory Verse

After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:

Closing Prayer

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.

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Your Memory Verse

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Joy

Joy

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.

Hubo

Hubo

Hubolodumo (Hubo) is 10 years old, and lives In Johannesburg, South Africa with his parents and 4 siblings.
When he’s not busy trying out ninja moves, he’s practicing the latest dance moves, playing soccer, drawing or playing games with his friends.

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