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 Bella
2 Corinthians 5:17
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
In today’s story, Jesus and His followers had miraculously fed thousands of people with just five loaves of bread and a couple of fish, but now it was getting late.
Mark 6:45-46
Mark 6:45-46 (NCV)
Immediately Jesus told his followers to get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida across the lake. He stayed there to send the people home. After sending them away, he went into the hills to pray.
Just a short while before this, Jesus had heard the news that His cousin, John, had been killed by King Herod. Ever since then, He’d been surrounded by crowds of people, hungry to be fed, and hungry to hear what He had to say. But Jesus really needed a break, so He went into the hills to pray.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What’s our favourite thing to do when we’re on our own?
Where could we go for some alone-time this week? Maybe in a garden or a local park? Maybe in our bedroom or somewhere else that’s quiet in our house?
Father God, even if it’s just for a few minutes, we’re each going to try and spend a bit of alone-time with You. We ASK You to meet us there.
Father God, we pray especially for people who’ve recently had sad news, like Jesus had – those who have lost someone that they loved. We ASK You to be especially close to them – comfort them and strengthen them today.
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 6:45-46
Mark 6:45-46 (NCV)
Immediately Jesus told his followers to get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida across the lake. He stayed there to send the people home. After sending them away, he went into the hills to pray.
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, Your Word – the Bible – says that we can ‘give all our worries and cares to You, because You care for us’ (adapted from 1 Peter 5:7, NLT). We say YES to this, and we give all that we’re feeling to You, especially where we’ve been feeling sad, tired or overwhelmed by the needs of other people.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
2 Corinthians 5:17
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
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.
Bella is 13 years old and lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her mum, dad and cocker spaniel Summer. She loves art, performing and Jesus!
Chris lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two boys. He works for 24-7 Prayer Australia and Red Church and is also a professional musician. When he’s not working or drumming Chris enjoys going on long hikes in the mountains with his boys and playing table tennis.
