Week: Mark's Gospel
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, we hear Your invitation, and so we choose to follow You, with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our souls and with all our strength.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Max
Psalm 103:8
The Lord shows mercy and is kind. He does not become angry quickly, and he has great love.
Psalm 103:8 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on a moment when Jesus stopped to rest near a place called Tyre. News of his miracles had travelled fast, so it wasn’t long before people found Him.
Read by Max
Mark 7:25-26,30 (NCV)
Mark 7:25-26,30
A woman whose daughter had an evil spirit in her heard that he was there. So she quickly came to Jesus and fell at his feet. She was Greek, born in Phoenicia, in Syria. She begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter. The woman went home and found her daughter lying in bed; the demon was gone.
Jesus was a Jewish teacher and a man. In those days, and in that region, Jewish men wouldn’t speak with women, especially not women from different cultures, so this woman really shouldn’t have approached Jesus. But she was willing to take a risk because she was really worried about her daughter and she’d heard that Jesus was kind. She probably still felt nervous though.
But Jesus didn’t care where she was from, and he didn’t care what others thought about what He should or shouldn’t do. He simply cared for her.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: When have we felt nervous about doing something?
The woman was really worried about her daughter. Let’s think of someone who we are a bit worried about at the moment?
Jesus, we give You our worries because we know You care. We ASK You to be with the person that we’ve been worried about – we ASK You to meet their needs.
There are still places in the world where women and girls aren’t allowed to do the same things as men. For example, in some places girls aren’t allowed to go to school, and in other places women aren’t allowed to vote or travel.
God of Justice, we ASK You to protect and encourage women and girls who suffer in these ways. May they know Your love for them. And we also ASK You to change the hearts of those in power in these places, so that rules are changed.
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.
Mark 7:25-26,30
Mark 7:25-26,30 (NCV)
A woman whose daughter had an evil spirit in her heard that he was there. So she quickly came to Jesus and fell at his feet. She was Greek, born in Phoenicia, in Syria. She begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter. The woman went home and found her daughter lying in bed; the demon was gone.
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, You care for each of us – just like the woman and her daughter – but You also care for the whole world. Your love really does change things.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Psalm 103:8
The Lord shows mercy and is kind. He does not become angry quickly, and he has great love.
Psalm 103:8 (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.
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.
Max is 9 years old and lives in Melbourne, Australia with his older brother and mum and dad. He often rides his bike to school and enjoys being creative by drawing or building with Lego. Max is also learning how to play the electric guitar and loves turning it up loud!