Praying For Our City
Jeremiah 29:4-7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be
carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them;
and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and
daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands,
that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not
diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be
carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof
shall ye have peace.
Here in
Jeremiah 29 we
find the Jewish people in Babylon- having been deported there by King
Nebuchadnezzar and his conquering armies. Some people were pressuring them to
assimilate; to fully absorb themselves into Babylonian culture. Others were
pressuring them to segregate; to avoid any investment in Babylon at all costs.
But God had a different command.
God said, “I want you to make lives in
Babylon. Serve it, bless it, seek its welfare. I also want you to retain your
unique identity as my people in the city. I want you to be in the city but not
of the city.” But what did He mean by verse 7? “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried
away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye
have peace.”
The Hebrew word, “Peace” (shalom)
literally means, ‘Welfare, completeness, health, prosperity, rest, harmony,
wholeness, tranquility, fullness. Flourishing in every single aspect of life:
physical spiritual, mental, emotional.’
When we seek the shalom of the city in
which God places us, we too receive shalom. 82 years ago, God sovereignly
planted a church in Grand Prairie, TX. This week we pray for the people,
leaders, institutions, and future of our city. How can we best seek its peace?
“If we have not paid our dues by years
of making positive contributions to culture, we simply do not have the cultural
clout to pontificate about cultural crisis. Unless we start serving our cities,
they’re not going to listen to us. The days of going door to door and expecting
people to listen to us because we have some sense of morality are over.” –Tim Keller
