Thursday 22nd January

Quiet your heart and mind. Imagine going with Jesus to a quiet place. Humbly kneel at Jesus’ feet.

“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!"

Psalm 66:5

Ponder: Jesus “took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them (Mark 10:16)." Imagine that you are one of those children.

Scripture

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,  equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21

First, imagine Jesus is focusing on you, looking you right in the eye, and holding out a gift for you. Hear Him pray this over you. Read the blessing again slowly. What do you notice?

Blessed to be a blessing

When Nancy and I boarded the plane to “go on mission" with TeachBeyond 14 years ago, we certainly had more questions than answers. We had said yes to God’s call to Southeast Asia, but we felt, at least at a human level, completely unprepared, with limited knowledge of Asian culture, and, thankfully, no idea of what challenges lay ahead. All we had was a deep conviction that God was asking us to go. Looking back, we see that the prayers of others in the months leading up to this moment prepared us for this journey. The many friends, family, and church partners did not just pray for safety or success; they prayed that God would bless us, equip us, work in us, and through us for His glory. And He has, in ways we could never have imagined, opening doors, shaping our character, and giving us strength to accomplish His work.

This is the heart of Hebrews 13:20–21. This benediction is not a polite farewell; it is a bold prayer to the God of peace to actively transform lives. When we pray blessings, we are asking God to supply everything needed to do His will. In short, a prayer for blessing is always asking for God’s blessing to bless others.

In a world that presses us to be independent and self-sufficient, our prayer for blessings reminds us that mission begins and ends with God’s power. Therefore, let us be the kind of people who intentionally take moments each and every day to pray for God’s power of blessing over each other so that we can be equipped for everything good and pleasing to God through Christ Jesus. This is my prayer for you today!

David Durance, President, USA

Now ask God who you can pray this prayer for. Imagine them sitting on Jesus’ knee as you pray.

Kids’ Question: What is a gift God has given you?