Devotion
And pray for it
“...and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Jeremiah 29:7
Serving your city and praying for your city are two halves of the same command.
It is possible to serve a community without ever loving it, and it is possible to pray for a community without ever going near it. God joins the two. Presence without prayer becomes a program. Prayer without presence becomes a wish. And notice the reason He gives: in its welfare you will find your welfare. Their futures were tied together. The exiles could not flourish while hoping their city collapsed. Neither can we.
Practice
Today, pray for people who are not like you and may not like you. Pray for your county commissioner by name. Pray for the school your kids don't attend. Pray for the business owner down the road who has never set foot in a church. Then ask God one question and wait: who do you want me to pray for that I have been happy to ignore?
Prayer
Father, I want good things for this community, not just for my family. Bless the people here who don't know You. Bless the ones I disagree with. Change my heart while I pray for theirs. Amen.