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 Kate
Romans 15:13
I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him.
Romans 15:13a (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on an encounter that Jesus had with a blind man.
Read by Kate
Mark 8:23-25
Mark 8:23-25 (NCV)
So Jesus took the blind man’s hand and led him out of the village. Then he spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on the man and asked, ‘Can you see now?’ The man looked up and said, ‘Yes, I see people, but they look like trees walking around.’ Again Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then the man opened his eyes wide and they were healed, and he was able to see everything clearly.
The first time Jesus prayed, the blind man wasn’t completely healed. Something happened – the man could see a little bit – but other people looked like ‘trees walking around’. And so Jesus prayed again.
Things don’t always happen the way that we want them to when we pray. Sometimes things happen – we get answers, things change, miracles happen, sick people get better again – and sometimes they don’t. We mustn’t give up though. The Bible encourages us to keep on praying. (Ephesians 6:18) If Jesus had to pray more than once for something to happen, surely we’ll sometimes need to pray more than once too!
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What things have we been praying again and again about recently?
And now, we ASK God to help us and others.
Loving God, we ASK You to teach us how to persevere in prayer. Help us not to give up when our prayers aren’t answered in the way that we hope. Help us to trust You and keep on praying.
Let’s return to what we were talking about just now – the people or the things that we have been praying regularly about. Let’s take a few moments to pray one more time.
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 8:23-25
Mark 8:23-25 (NCV)
So Jesus took the blind man’s hand and led him out of the village. Then he spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on the man and asked, ‘Can you see now?’ The man looked up and said, ‘Yes, I see people, but they look like trees walking around.’ Again Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then the man opened his eyes wide and they were healed, and he was able to see everything clearly.
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Loving God, We know that You are always with us. We say YES to persevering in prayer, to not giving up.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Romans 15:13
I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him.
Romans 15:13a (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.
Phil lives close to a beach in the north of England with his wife, his daughters and his dogs. Phil works for 24-7 Prayer, mostly doing Lectio stuff, and helping to run Prayer Spaces in Schools. He runs a lot, usually for long distances. He likes curry, mountains, reading books and he still plays Pokemon Go.
Kate is 11 and lives in Melbourne Australia, with her parents, younger sister, and puppy Leo. Kate loves visual arts, reading, playing basketball and spending time with her family.