Welcome to Lectio for Families. This week we’ve been thinking and praying about reconciliation, the ways that God brings people and things together. In particular, we have been focusing on how to be reconciled with God – how to love God with everything that we are and everything that we have. However, today is our Sabbath day and so we’re taking a break from our regular P.R.A.Y. pattern to pray a little differently.

The Bible tells the story of God making the Universe and everything in it in six days. Every Sunday, we remember the Sabbath, when God rested and enjoyed everything that was made.

Pause

As usual, 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

Reflect

Bible Reading

Let’s listen for a word or a phrase that the Holy Spirit may want to say to us from our Sabbath Bible reading.

Read by Ruby
1 John 4:17-19
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day – our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.
There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life – fear of death, fear of judgement – is one not yet fully formed in love.
We, though, are going to love – love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
1 John 4:17-19 (MSG)

What word or phrase stood out to us from today’s Bible reading?

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

Ask

ASK Prayers

Thank You, Father God, for loving us and for making us: ‘amazing and wonderful’. Help us to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength.

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for loving us so much that You came into the world to reconcile all things so that we can be reconciled with ourselves, with other people, with the world and especially with God. You gave Your life for us, to make everything right again. Help us to love the way You love.

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Thank You, Holy Spirit, for loving us, for filling us with Your power, for leading and guiding us. Help us to love and value others and the world around us, we want to bring reconciliation and healing like You do. Give us courage to share the good news of Jesus wherever we are, and wherever we go.

• OPTIONAL: PAUSE the audio player now and pray

Let’s press pause and talk about our Sabbath question which is: As our week comes to an end, what was good about it – what are we thankful for? It could be something big or small.

• PAUSE the audio player now

Yes

Memory Verse

As we finish our time together, let’s say this week’s amazing memory verse one last time:

God, help us to remember Your Word.

Sabbath Blessing

May this Sabbath bring rest and joy to our hearts and our homes.
May today be a little less go, go, go, and a little more slow… slow… slow…
May we care less about things, and care more for people.
As we relax in God’s love, may we take time to listen and remember that we are all God’s children.