Praying for My City

This is “my city,” the place where God in His providence has placed my family and I for this season of our lives. We’ve only been here a few weeks and I don’t know exactly how God plans to use us here; I only know that if we are willing, He will use us.

This morning I woke up to a view of the city. I find it beautiful, both in the daytime and at night when the city lights dim the stars above. But at the same time, my heart aches for my city. There are so many lost souls, and I pray that God will use me for His glory here. I began to pray over my city, and I was reminded of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem when He stopped and wept over His city.

Have you wept over your city? Are you burdened for the lost in your hometown? No matter how great or small the population may be, Jesus put you there to share His light.

I opened my Bible and turned to the story in Luke 19, following up by reading the parallel passages in Matthew 21 and Mark 11. The stories each come from a slightly different angle, but the theme remains the same – Jesus saw the city and was heartbroken over their rejection of the truth.

What struck me this morning, however, is that the story does not end there. The Gospels each tell how Jesus continued His journey into the city and engaged in action! Rather than simply weeping over the lost, he continued to the temple where He spoke out forcefully against sin and proceeded to preach truth.

It is right and good to cry over our cities, to anguish with the burden of the lost in front of us, but we must not stop there! We must act!

How can we reach out to the lost around us?

In truth, it is going to look a little different for each of us, but here are some suggestions:

• Pray for opportunities to be involved in your city
• Know your own sphere of influence and begin there
• Get to know your neighbors and show them the love of Christ in action
• Look for ways to step out of your comfort zone to minister to others
• Discover what opportunities your church offers for community involvement
• Partner with other Christian organizations in your town that are offering hands-on help to the needy
• Memorize God’s Word so you can share it at a moment’s notice
• Carry Gospel tracts or small Bibles that you can hand out as opportunities arise
• Be willing to meet the physical needs of others in order to have the opportunity to provide spiritual assistance
• Remember that truly loving others is an action, not an emotion
• Pray for city leaders, law enforcement, and first responders

How are you involved in loving your community? What suggestions do you have for sharing the love of Christ with others?

Desiring to share the love of God in Albuquerque,

Stephani