Week: Holy Spirit Adventures - the Book of Acts
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
Holy Spirit, like the disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, we’re patiently waiting for You to fill us with Your power and with Your presence. We’re ready for You to send us on new adventures.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Elanor
1 Corinthians 3:16
Surely you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you!
1 Corinthians 3:16 (GNT)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re returning to the story of Saul. He’d been hurting Christians and trying to destroy the church, but today we’re REFLECTING on how God got his attention… in a BIG way!
Read by Elanor
Acts 9:3-6
So Saul headed toward Damascus. As he came near the city, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’
Saul said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
The voice answered, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Get up now and go into the city. Someone there will tell you what you must do.’
Acts 9:3-6 (NCV)
Let’s try to imagine this scene for a moment. Saul is wandering along a dusty road when all of sudden – BAM! – a blinding light explodes around him, so bright that he can’t see anything else. So he squeezes his eyes shut to try and block out the light, and then he hears a voice speaking to him, saying his name. ‘Saul! Saul!’
Saul is a religious man, but he’s never experienced anything like this before. He doesn’t fully understand what’s happening, but somehow he knows that it must be God, and so he cries, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
This was a pretty dramatic moment in Saul’s life – probably one that he remembered for the rest of his life! Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What’s something really memorable or even dramatic that has happened to us?
In today’s Bible passage, we read that Jesus called Saul’s name to get his attention. Let’s imagine that Jesus is calling our names. What do we think Jesus might want to talk with us about today?
Lord Jesus, we’re listening. We ASK You to speak to us – we want you to show us how we can give our lives more fully to you, and live our lives more fully for you.
Saul’s story reminds us that God gives everyone a second chance, no matter what they’ve done.
God of grace, thank You that your loving kindness reaches everyone, no matter what they’ve done. We ASK you to be with those who feel like they will never be good enough. Stop them in their tracks, just like You did to Saul, and show them just how much you love 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.
Acts 9:3-6
So Saul headed toward Damascus. As he came near the city, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’
Saul said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
The voice answered, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Get up now and go into the city. Someone there will tell you what you must do.’
Acts 9:3-6 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Holy Spirit, we say YES to going on adventures with You. We say YES, we want EVERYONE to know they are loved and forgiven by You.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
1 Corinthians 3:16
Surely you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you!
1 Corinthians 3:16 (GNT)
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.
Elanor is 12 years old and lives in East London with her parents and younger brother. She enjoys going on adventures with her friends, reading lots of books, horse riding, acting, singing, dancing and finding different ways to pray to God.
