Week: Jesus: Coming Again
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, as we spend these few minutes together, we open our eyes to see what You’re doing, our ears to hear what You’re saying, and our hearts to receive what You want to give to us today.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Jackson R
Revelation 22:13
[Jesus said] ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.’
Revelation 22:13 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re reflecting on what Jesus said was going to happen after He’d left his disciples and gone back to heaven.
Read by Jackson R
John 14:2-3
[Jesus said] ‘There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am.’
John 14:2-3 (NCV)
When friends or family members are coming to stay in our home, it’s nice to prepare their room, maybe by getting some fresh towels and choosing some gifts or snacks to put beside their beds – all so they feel welcome and comfortable.
Jesus’ disciples – his friends – were probably feeling sad and anxious because He was leaving them. But Jesus reassured them by telling them that He was going to prepare a place for them – and that one day, they would be with Him again.
In Father God’s house, there are many rooms, and there is room for everyone!
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: When have we stayed somewhere and felt really welcomed and comfortable? Why did we feel that way?
Immediately after today’s Bible verses, we read that Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, asks, ‘how will we know the way to where you’re going?’ Jesus simply replies, ‘I am the way!’ (John 14:5-6)
Lord Jesus, it’s hard for us to understand what will happen when You come again, but we know the most important thing is that You are the way. We ASK You to help us to keep on following You each and every day until You return and take us to be with You forever.
Having somewhere to live, a home to feel safe in is very important. It is estimated that around 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing, which means that it’s not good enough.*
Heavenly Father, we cry out to You for those who do not have a safe, healthy home to live in. We ASK You to be with them – comfort them and strengthen them, protect them and provide for them. And we ASK that governments and other agencies would find solutions to this crisis so that everyone can have a home.
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.
John 14:2-3
[Jesus said] ‘There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am.’
John 14:2-3 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. We say YES, we will follow You for the rest of our lives. And we look forward, one day, to being with You forever.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Revelation 22:13
[Jesus said] ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.’
Revelation 22:13 (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.
*https://www.un.org/tr/desa/everyone-included-%E2%80%93-how-end-homelessness
Joy lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, daughter 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 lives with his younger brother and parents in Surrey. He loves pretty much all sport but his favourites are football, golf and jumping off high stuff into water! He enjoys gaming and is always ready to build something on Minecraft.
