For the peace of the city
Part of our mandate as believers is to pray for the places we live in (Jeremiah 29:7). You may have learned that verse as 'pray for the peace of the city', but the word used there for peace has also been translated as 'welfare', 'well-being' and even 'prosperity'. When a city, town or village is at peace with itself and its neighbours, human life is able to flourish within it in all aspects - from education to entertainment, from family life to farming, and of course to faith.
And we can be part of making that happen. Through our prayers, we believe God can change hearts and minds, he can work in our schools, factories, homes, businesses, leisure centres...you name it...and make them work together for community flourishing.
“I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. ”
As with many commands in the Old Testament, this mandate was not abolished under the new covenant, but strengthened.
In 1 Timothy 2 we are told not just to pray generally for the peace of where we live, but to pray specifically for our 'kings' - for the leaders and authorities who rule our lives both locally and nationally.
At the next ENOUGH prayer night, on 23 March, we will have the opportunity to do just this. We will have prayer points for the governments of ten different nations that we are pioneering in, and the opportunity to intercede for those nations and governments. This is a fantastic opportunity to help prepare the ground our pioneers are walking on, so that their work may be more fruitful more quickly.
But governments are made up of people, so each hub will also be inviting its local government leaders to come along on the night and receive prayer. Even if they can't make it, they will know that they are being prayed for, and will hopefully be encouraged and strengthened by that knowledge.
Would you come and pray for your leaders, your nation and the nations? Would you get involved in making your community a peaceful place where the gospel can take root and grow?
The enemy loves disorder. But we can push back the darkness with God's peace and order. Come and join us, for the peace of the city.
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Image credit: Alper Çuğun on Flickr