Week: Me and The World
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, You came to bring peace and healing, and because of You we can now be reconciled with God, with ourselves, with other people and with the whole world. We’re ready for You to restore our relationships a little bit more today.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Jackson J
Colossians 1:20
And through Christ, God has brought all things back to himself again – things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace through the blood of Christ’s death on the cross.
Colossians 1:20 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on some really important words that Jesus spoke, right at the beginning of His ministry.
Read by Jackson J
Luke 4:18-19
[Jesus said] ‘The Lord has put his Spirit in me, because he appointed me to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to tell the captives they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. God sent me to free those who have been treated unfairly and to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness.’
Luke 4:18-19 (NCV)
God wanted to put things right in our world so much that He sent Jesus to earth to demonstrate what it looks like when God is in charge. Jesus announced to whoever was listening – this is the plan, this is what reconciliation in the world looks like – freedom and healing and justice. This is the ‘good news’ that Jesus offers to us.
When God is in charge the world is full of goodness. Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What different ways could we bring a bit more goodness into our home and family this week?
This good news isn’t just for other people – it’s for us too.
Lord Jesus, thank you for the freedom that You give. Thank you for the healing that Your give. And thank you for the justice that You give – for putting things right in our lives.
Let’s think of those three words – freedom, healing and justice – for a moment. Let’s close our eyes and imagine what it would look like for our world to be full of these things? What would be different?
Lord Jesus, we really want our world to be full of Your freedom, healing and justice. We ASK You to come to all of the places that need to be reconciled – come, Lord Jesus.
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.
Luke 4:18-19
[Jesus said] ‘The Lord has put his Spirit in me, because he appointed me to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to tell the captives they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. God sent me to free those who have been treated unfairly and to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness.’
Luke 4:18-19 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Jesus, the news that You have come to heal and restore all things is so good. We say YES we want to be bringers of this good news.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Colossians 1:20
And through Christ, God has brought all things back to himself again – things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace through the blood of Christ’s death on the cross.
Colossians 1:20 (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.
Jackson is 11 and he lives in Chichester, on the south coast of England, with his parents and his sister. He loves Pokemon (who doesn’t?), music and having fun with his friends.
