Praying for the city

A conference in Ottawa last weekend highlighted the importance of Christians praying and working together to spread the love of Christ and the message of Christ in our cities.

The conference - Capitalyze - heard from speakers in Britain, the U.S. and India talk about how city-wide movements among Christians are helping transform their cities and others around the world.

These leaders stressed that prayer undergirds everything they do in their cities.

I'm excited by what is happening in other countries and in my own city.  I'm especially delighted that church leaders are turning to prayer to seek God's leading in reaching their cities.

Why should we pray for our cities?

A significant reason is that what goes on in our cities is close to the heart of God.

As one speaker pointed out, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem on his last journey before the crucifixion.  He mourned because he knew what was going to happen to Jerusalem for rejecting the good news - destruction. (Luke 19:41-44).  The Romans destroyed the city in 70 AD.

Another reason is that God can work to bring peace and prosperity in our cities as we pray and actively seek to bring good to the people and neighbourhoods around us.

For instance, God urged Jewish exiles in Babylon: "Work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare." (Jeremiah 29:7)

And the apostle Paul told his young disciple Timothy: "I urge, then, first of all that petitions, prayers intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1,2)

Still another reason is God provides healing and protection for our cities - and our fellow citizens - as we pray.

In Psalm 127:1, the psalmist writes: "Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good."

And God warns Solomon that Israel will suffer if the people reject the Lord.  However, he adds this memorable promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land."

So, how can we pray for our city?

My city - Ottawa, Canada - has been organizing a week of prayer for our city every January.  Other cities do something similar.

Typically, this week of prayer involves churches organizing prayer services for the city - either separately or jointly with other churches.  There are also prayer points provided so that individual Christians can pray for such aspects as marriages, schools, churches, workplaces, police, firefighters, hospital workers,  city council members, city-wide ministries to the homeless, justice ministries and so on.

Others may choose to prayer-walk their neighbourhoods, go out to coffee shops with friends to pray for people as they come into the shop, or pray with fellow workers for their workplaces.

Of course, I realize that praying for our city should be a year-round activity.  

After all, prayer makes a difference.

The leaders who spoke at the weekend conference I attended would say: "Amen!"