w/c 27th November
Our reading this week is Ephesians 1: 15-23
Paul’s Prayer
15-16 That is why I always remember you in my prayers and thank God for you. I have done this ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 17 I always pray to the great and glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that he will give you the Spirit, who will let you know truths about God and help you understand them, so that you will know him better.
18 I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. 19 And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. It is the same as the mighty power 20 he used to raise Christ from death and put him at his right side in the heavenly places. 21 He put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. He gave him authority over everything that has power in this world or in the next world. 22 God put everything under Christ’s power and made him head over everything for the church. 23 The church is Christ’s body. It is filled with him. He makes everything complete in every way.
Prayer for the week:
Dear God,
Help us to be the best that we can be,
To be wise in the worst of times,
To endure through the struggle,
Amen
Song for the week: Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
In school:
We thought about prayer and the importance of prayer in all major religions. All people who pray do so in their own way. Some go to a special building to pray, some pray at home.
Some people use objects to help them pray and focus.
Some people take up special positions such as kneeling, meditation or prostration.
We thought about places in the Bible where Jesus prayed:
35 The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. (Mark 1: 35)
16 Jesus often went away to other places to be alone so that he could pray. (Luke 5:16)
22 Then Jesus made the followers get into the boat. He told them to go to the other side of the lake. He said he would come later. He stayed there to tell everyone they could go home. 23 After Jesus said goodbye to the people, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. It was late, and he was there alone. (Matthew 14: 22-23)
Jesus often chose to go and prayer somewhere quiet. His prayers were often linked to events and emotions; times when he was happy, sad, tired, confused, thankful or frightened.
In the Bible, there is also a passage about Paul's prayer. This is our reading for the week which is set out above.
Christians believe God wants to share our hopes and fears and praying is a way of sharing these with him. Prayer can be a time when we say sorry, give thanks or ask for help. Even people who do not believe in God often find it helpful to sit quietly and think.
Is that praying?
By Gordon Lamont
I'm running a race and I want to be first
'Please God, let me win'
I say - but do I pray?
Is that praying?
I'm playing with my friends
And everything's fine
I lose track of time.
I'm glad to be alive today, I say
To no one in particular.
Is that praying?
Things have gone wrong
An argument - a fight
I couldn't sleep at all last night.
Dear God, please put things right.
Is that praying?
Questions to think about at home:
Do you ever use prayer on your life? Do you have particular prayers you like to say?
If you don't prayer, do you have special places you like to sit quietly and think?