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 Selah
Proverbs 3:5
Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on another of Jesus’ parables – the stories He used to explain God’s message. On this occasion, Jesus told a story about lamps.
Read by Selah
Mark 4:21-23 (NCV)
Mark 4:21-23
Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do you hide a lamp under a bowl or under a bed? No! You put the lamp on a lampstand. Everything that is hidden will be made clear and every secret thing will be made known. Let those with ears use them and listen!’
When something good happens, or when we get something new, we like to tell other people about it. Perhaps we’ve got a new baby sister or brother? Perhaps we’ve got a good grade at school, or we’ve made it onto a sports team? Perhaps we’ve got a new toy or some new clothes. Whatever it is, we like to tell our friends, simply because it’s… well, good news.
Jesus says it’s the same with God. Knowing God – being loved by God – is good news. Having God’s hope, joy, peace and presence in our lives is good news. So why would we want to hide it from other people?
Let’s press pause and chat about today’s question, which is: What good news have we got at the moment? What new thing have we got, or what’s happened, that we’d like to tell other people about?
Let’s be quiet for a moment and think about the good things that God has done in our lives.
Lord God, we ASK You to give us confidence to tell others about the good things that You have done in our lives.
In some countries it isn’t safe for people to talk openly about the good news of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, we pray for those who have to hide their faith to stay safe. Please comfort them and protect them. Give them wisdom to know how or when to talk with other people about You.
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 4:21-23
Mark 4:21-23 (NCV)
Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do you hide a lamp under a bowl or under a bed? No! You put the lamp on a lampstand. Everything that is hidden will be made clear and every secret thing will be made known. Let those with ears use them and listen!’
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
If we’re in a room with a light or a lamp, let’s quickly turn it on. If not, let’s just use our imaginations.
Lord Jesus, as we think about this light, we also think about the light – the love – that You have given to us. Wherever we go this week, we ASK that Your light – your love – would shine through us. Through the words we speak, and the things we do. May others hear and experience a bit more about You through us this week.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Proverbs 3:5
Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 (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.
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.
Selah is 14 and she lives in the middle of The USA in Kansas City, with her parents, sisters and dogs. Selah loves adventures and plays (and watches) all kinds of sports. She also enjoys science and likes inventing and building things…especially if they help others in some way.
