Week: Jesus' Friends & Family
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
What a friend we have in You, Jesus. We’re ready for the new things that You want to show us and say to us about being friends with You, and with others too.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Asaph
Proverbs 17:17
Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.
Proverbs 17:17 (MSG)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to most of the disciples, but Thomas wasn’t around on that occasion. Today we are REFLECTING on the moment when Thomas met the resurrected Jesus for himself.
Read by Asaph
John 20:25-26
The other followers kept telling Thomas, ‘We saw the Lord.’ But Thomas said, ‘I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side.’
A week later the followers were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came in and stood right in the middle of them. He said, ‘Peace be with you.’
John 20:25-26 (NCV)
Thomas is often called ‘doubting Thomas’, because he didn’t believe the other disciples when they said they’d seen Jesus. He needed proof! However, Thomas appears in the Gospel stories a few other times, not as a doubter, but as someone hungry to understand and also willing to die for Jesus.
And so when the resurrected Jesus eventually met Thomas, His words to his beloved friend were ‘Peace be with you’. Jesus welcomes Thomas’ questions and doubts. If Jesus was naming Thomas, perhaps he wouldn’t have called him ‘doubting Thomas’, but ‘curious Thomas’, ‘loyal Thomas’, or ‘Thomas, the good friend’ instead.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: If we could ask Jesus one question today, what would it be? Maybe it’s something we don’t understand, or that we have doubts about?
Jesus welcomed Thomas’ questions and doubts, and he welcomes ours too. Let’s talk with Jesus about the questions we’ve just been discussing, or maybe some others – let’s take a moment and be really honest with Jesus about what we’re feeling.
And now let’s listen for anything that Jesus might want to say. Maybe He’ll say something simple like, ‘Peace be with you.’
There are amazing stories of Jesus appearing to people, even today, in dreams, in prison cells, or even in bedrooms – particularly people living in scary places, or countries where they are not allowed to talk about Jesus.
Jesus, we ASK that You would appear to those who are struggling today, for those who, like Thomas, just need to see You, to help them believe. Open their eyes to see You, and trust that You are always with 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.
John 20:25-26
The other followers kept telling Thomas, ‘We saw the Lord.’ But Thomas said, ‘I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side.’
A week later the followers were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came in and stood right in the middle of them. He said, ‘Peace be with you.’
John 20:25-26 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
YES Jesus, we will bring our questions and doubts to You. Thank You that nothing is too big, too small, or even too strange for You.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Proverbs 17:17
Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.
Proverbs 17:17 (MSG)
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.
Unathi lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her husband and 5 kids; and has a passion for seeing families thriving.
You’ll most likely find her homeschooling the tribe, reading, writing, or dreaming about the next DIY project.
She also loves good coffee, dark chocolate and hiking.
Asaph is 9 years old. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his younger sister Adelina, father and mother. He enjoys riding his bike, camping, reading, playing flag football and watching Bible Project videos. Asaph is kind and smart and loves hanging out with friends!