Week: How to Hear God
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
Father God, we’re listening. We look forward to what You want to say to us today, through the Bible, through other people, through what we see and hear around us, even through our hearts. Help us to hear You.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Jackson J
1 Samuel 3:10
The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, ‘Samuel, Samuel!’
Samuel said, ‘Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.’
1 Samuel 3:10 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on one of the Psalms, which talks about how God uses the Bible to speak to us.
Read by Jackson J
Psalm 119:15-18
I will study your teachings
and follow your footsteps.
I will take pleasure in your laws
and remember your words.
Treat me with kindness, Lord,
so that I may live
and do what you say.
Open my mind
and let me discover
the wonders of your Law.
Psalms 119:15-18 (CEV)
The Bible teaches us about God, and it also shows us how we can know God personally. The more we read the Bible ourselves, and the more we learn together with others, the more we can grow in our relationship with God.
This is what Lectio for Families is for. Each day we reflect on a passage from the Bible together, and we talk about what it means for our lives. Then we pray about it – we talk with God about what we think and feel – and we listen to what God might want to say to us. And then we invite the Holy Spirit to help us live God’s way.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What other things do we enjoy doing together with our family or household?
Let’s use some of the words from today’s Bible passage as we pray now.
Loving God, we ASK you to ‘open our minds’ – help us to learn more about you whenever we read the Bible. We ASK you to ‘let us discover your wonders’. We want to know you more deeply.
Also in today’s Psalm it says that God treats us with kindness. Who do we know that is having a difficult time at the moment, and might need to feel God’s kindness?
Loving God, as we think of people who are having a difficult time right now, we ASK You to be with them. Give them comfort and strength and whatever else they need.
Let’s ASK God to give us a verse from the Bible that we could send to encourage 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.
Psalm 119:15-18
I will study your teachings
and follow your footsteps.
I will take pleasure in your laws
and remember your words.
Treat me with kindness, Lord,
so that I may live
and do what you say.
Open my mind
and let me discover
the wonders of your Law.
Psalms 119:15-18 (CEV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Loving God, we say YES to reading the Bible, and listening for the things that you want to tell us and show us about yourself through it. Teach us how to become more like Jesus.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
1 Samuel 3:10
The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, ‘Samuel, Samuel!’
Samuel said, ‘Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.’
1 Samuel 3:10 (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.
* To find out more about Pete Greig’s book go to https://www.24-7prayer.com/how-to-hear-god/
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.
Jackson is 11 and he lives in Chichester, on the south coast of England, with his parents and his sister. He loves Pokemon (who doesn’t?), music and having fun with his friends.
