Week: David & Jonathan
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 Liliwyn
John 15:12
My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:12 (NIVUK)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
King Saul was jealous and afraid of David and so he wanted to kill him, but Saul couldn’t find David. Today, we’re REFLECTING on how Jonathan continued to take risks to protect his friend, David.
Read by Liliwyn
1 Samuel 19:4-6
When Jonathan talked to Saul, his father, he said good things about David. Jonathan said, ‘The king should do no wrong to your servant David since he has done nothing wrong to you. What he has done has helped you greatly. David risked his life when he killed Goliath the Philistine, and the Lord won a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and were happy. Why would you do wrong against David? He’s innocent. There’s no reason to kill him!’
Saul listened to Jonathan and then made this promise: ‘As surely as the Lord lives, David won’t be put to death.’
1 Samuel 19:4-6 (NCV)
Saul was angry! He was so angry that he’d given orders for David to be killed. Maybe Jonathan was tempted to keep quiet and give up on his friendship with David? After all, what if his father got angry with him too? Was it really worth it?
But Jonathan’s friendship with David was worth it. In fact, this story gives us a great example of what good friendship really looks like. A good friend sticks with us whether things are good or bad. Being a good friend isn’t always easy – sometimes it means standing up for, or standing with someone when things are difficult, or when other people are against them. As it says in the book of Proverbs, ‘A friend loves you all the time, and a brother helps in times of trouble.’ (Proverbs 17:17).
Let’s press pause and talk really honestly about today’s question, which is: When has it been difficult for us to stick by, or stand up for, a friend? How did we feel?
And now let’s ask God to help us and others.
Lord Jesus, we want to be the kind of friends that can be counted on. We ASK you to help us, even when our friendships are difficult, to be like Jonathan, to stick with and stick up for our friends when they need us to.
Jonathan persuaded his father, the King, that David was innocent. It’s the kind of work that lawyers do in courts these days – defending innocent people and trying to prevent the kind of injustice David was experiencing.
Lord God, we ASK You to be with all those who work in law and order roles – help them to protect those who are innocent, especially those who are vulnerable and afraid. And give them strength and courage to speak out for justice, especially when it’s difficult, so that things get put right.
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.
1 Samuel 19:4-6
When Jonathan talked to Saul, his father, he said good things about David. Jonathan said, ‘The king should do no wrong to your servant David since he has done nothing wrong to you. What he has done has helped you greatly. David risked his life when he killed Goliath the Philistine, and the Lord won a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and were happy. Why would you do wrong against David? He’s innocent. There’s no reason to kill him!’
Saul listened to Jonathan and then made this promise: ‘As surely as the Lord lives, David won’t be put to death.’
1 Samuel 19:4-6 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Loving God, we want to be more like Jonathan – only speaking ‘good things’ about others – so we say YES to choosing words of kindness, of encouragement, of life and of truth.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
John 15:12
My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:12 (NIVUK)
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.
Liliwyn is 16 and lives in Kansas City, USA, with her parents, sisters and dogs. She is a good friend and enjoys designing, music, traveling, math and watching American Football (especially the KC Chiefs).
