Praying the future of a community

Until today, I didn't realize what a blessing it is to pray for the future of a community - whether it's a new community, one that's experiencing growth, one that needs rejuvenation, or one that's doing great the way it is.

I've missed a lot of opportunities on this. I used to work in community building; that was my academic field and I loved the fieldwork. I spent time with communities in Russia that were going through growing pains. Also here in the States, particularly the rebuilding of downtown NYC after 9/11. For a while, I was involved in community issues in Chattanooga, a community with so much potential and so many people who really care; but also a place that's about to spin off its axis.

While I pondered the ins and outs of community building, tried to understand the different networks of relationships, worked hard to get people involved and interested and encouraged about the future, and fought for the rights of those who were hurting within the community... did I ever take time to pray for each community's future?

Not really.

Sure, I prayed about the different things the community was facing; I prayed for people who were going through hardship; I asked God over and over why things had to be so tough, or why plans and vision couldn't come together more quickly, or why there was always so much opposition.

But I never just sat still and focused my prayers on the work God planned to do within the community: its foundation, its future, the building and strengthening of relationships within, the moments and events - big or small - that would touch individual lives, all because they were a part of the community. I never just invited God into the community to do His work, to create His foundation for the future.

He sees and knows the future of every community. Our prayers today allow Him to come into our presence and work His will.

Perhaps it's a new community, like the virtual community we're growing in Music 423. Thousands of people will become a part of this community in the future; we don't know who they are, where they will come from or how their participation in the community will change lives. But God knows, and it's our prayers today that will make His Holy Spirit such a vibrant part of the community in the future. It was spending a few hours in prayer for the Music 423 community today that made me realize what a blessing it is to pray for the future of a community.

Think about something good that's happened in your community, whether it's the town where you live, an organization you belong to, a church community... Think about a moment when you really felt God at work, in a huge way. Do you realize the prayers that brought the Holy Spirit into your midst might have started well before that moment? It might have been fervant prayers offered by a group of individuals 100 years ago that invited God to do something He accomplished in your church this week.

Keep that in perspective as you take time to pray about the future of the communities you belong to. I promise, you will feel incredibly blessed. Making those heartfelt spiritual connections with people you don't know and might never know personally; being spiritually a part of an event you might never witness in person; trusting God and letting Him work through your prayers to carry out plans only He knows... you will come away from your prayer time filled with the Holy Spirit and Christ's love.