Praying for the Neighbors
Over at Evangelism Coach, I write about beginning to pray for our neighbors.
Even before we left America, we were beginning to pray for those in our immediate area. As part of the discernment, this is the neighborhood and building that we felt led to move into. Knowing that God directs our steps in His sovereignty, we know that we will accomplish some kingdom purpose here.
This idea of praying for your neighbors, getting to know them, and to demonstrate the love of Jesus in tangible ways, is part of the missional lifestyle. It’s observing those around you, noticing, and listening to the Spirit’s prompting about conversations. Eventually conversations will follow.
We don’t know our neighbors yet. We see the maintenance man and security guards everyday as we come and go. We’ve met one or two in an elevator and exchange plesantries (people here don’t talk in elevators either for the most part either), but we’re still the new folks in the building.
We’ll probably make a big scene when our cargo arrives in a few weeks and people get to see how much stuff Americans pay to move when they resettle here. We’ve already wondered if we packed too much in that 20′ container and will it all fit.
Walking around
The other activity we do a lot of is walking. No car, so we walk.
We’re Walkers, what do we do?
We’re learning the bus system, use taxis to get home from wherever we have walked. Doing so gives us a chance to observe the hustle and bustle of the city. To watch people. To listen to glimpses of conversations as we walk past crowded bus stops.
We begin to get a sense of a city’s heartbeat by just taking the time to watch and prayerfully learn. Nehemiah took the time to pray after he got to Jerusalem, and one of my mentors has encouraged our family to do the same — take the time to pray and listen for God’s activity in the city.
Let me ask you this?
Are you praying for your neighbors? Do you have a sense of God’s vision for where you live?
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