I get Bruce Springsteen's heart...

A Prayer Appeal...


You are familiar with God's command to the Hebrews in Babylonian captivity: "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." (Jeremiah 29:7 ESV)

If we believers have no other motivation to work in our community than the sense made by Jeremiah to the Exiles, then that alone would be enough. Seek the welfare of the city you are in -- want good for it, work for good in it, pray for good, strive for peace, strive for success. Why? If our city is doing well, it will be good for us, too. 

I drove around our city and county yesterday. As I drove around, Bruce Springsteen's song came to my mind. Springsteen sings: 

The church doors blown open 

I can hear the organ's song 

But the congregation's gone 

My city of ruins 

My city of ruins 

Springsteen sings quite literally of Asbury Park, New Jersey. Springsteen wrote the song as part of an effort to revitalize what was once a premier resort area (it's been working, too...since 2000, the Asbury Park has experienced an amazing turn around). However, the song grips my heart in a different way. My city grips my heart in a different way.

We don't have urban blight. Sure, there are plenty of empty buildings, and most of that is bad stewardship, not urban blight. What we have is spiritual ruin. The church doors are open, but the congregations are gone. 

I am praying for revival. But, like Springsteen, I'm oft left with a question... "Now tell me how do I begin again?"  

Easy...I get it...I already knew it...I just needed to remember it...
Get to work. That's the answer. Get to work. Build the Kingdom. Be intentional. Be sacrificial. Truly, seek the welfare of my city by Kingdom building. Put MY hands in the work. Encourage, exhort and enable others to put their hands in the work. 

Springsteen sang...

Now with these hands 

I pray Lord 

with these hands 

for the strength Lord 

with these hands 

for the faith Lord 

with these hands 

I pray Lord 

with these hands 

for the strength Lord 

with these hands 

for the faith Lord 

with these hands 

Pray. Work. Pray. Evangelize. Pray. Edify. Pray. Encourage. Pray. Build. Pray. Restore. Pray. And, with me, sing... 

Come on rise up! 

Come on rise up! 

Rise up

Truth be told, we've got much better and bigger reasons to seek the welfare of our communities than wanting a life of prosperity and ease. God's called us to make disciples, build the Kingdom, live in love, stand in truth and so much more. God has called us to rise up and walk with Jesus. He's called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. He's made us alive, quickened out of spiritual death and into life. 

Shouldn't we, in the very minimum, want the same for every other person breathing on this globe? 

Now, Andrew Liggitt's song is pulsing through my heart. Yes, God is working on my heart. He's giving me a new care for the welfare of our city. We need a revival. And, it must begin in me... 

I pray you feel the same.
Pray for our city...
Pray God revives the spiritual ruin...
Pray for revival, and pray it begins with the man and woman who is willing to say "Amen"...