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.
Thousands of women, men and children had walked into the countryside to find Jesus. It was late and they were all getting hungry. Today, we’re REFLECTING on what Jesus did next.
Read by Bella
Mark 6:39-42 (NCV)
Mark 6:39-42
Then Jesus told his followers to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. So they sat in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and, looking up to heaven, he thanked God for the food. He divided the bread and gave it to his followers for them to give to the people. Then he divided the two fish among them all. All the people ate and were satisfied.
There were at least 10-20,000 hungry people sitting in groups on the hillsides around Jesus, and there weren’t any food delivery services back then! All Jesus had in front of Him was one packed lunch. But He didn’t focus on what He didn’t have – He simply thanked God for what he did have, and He began passing it around. Incredibly, Mark says that ‘All the people ate and were satisfied.’
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What are our favourite things to have in a packed lunch? (Anyone for bread and fish?)
And now, instead of Asking God for something, let’s begin our prayers by thanking God. Let’s each name a few things in our lives that we’re grateful to God for.
Some people always seem to focus on what they don’t have, and on how big their problems are.
Lord Jesus, we ASK You to encourage people who feel like this today. Open their eyes to see that no matter how big their problems are, You are with them… and because You are with them, miracles can happen.
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 6:39-42
Mark 6:39-42 (NCV)
Then Jesus told his followers to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. So they sat in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and, looking up to heaven, he thanked God for the food. He divided the bread and gave it to his followers for them to give to the people. Then he divided the two fish among them all. All the people ate and were satisfied.
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s use yesterday’s prayer one more time as we say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, we give all that we have to You – the things we own and the skills and experiences that we have. We place them all in Your hands – just like the disciples placed the loaves and the fish in Your hands – and we ask You to use them, multiply them, do miracles with them.
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.
