Hi friends.
We're just in from a prayer gathering from around the country to pray for the nation. It is so wonderful to hear prayer in 3 languages to the living God, earnest, and in deep dependance on Him. It made us think about prayer in our own nation. When there are only a few of you in a nation, there is more of an urgency about prayer. You appreciate anyone who will pray appropriately with you and get passionate for the cause. God met with us, and wonderful fellowship led to new friendships. In Christ and His people we find our eternal home.
BLURRED SENSE OF BELONGING.
One thing that has cropped up in numerous conversations over the last 48 hours particularly is the issue of identity. If you are a refugee, nomad, fleeing from the war in your country or people, or if your country has been through numerous reiterations (of political leadership or boundary changes) your national identity and sense of belonging is blurred. Some mission workers come with a strong identity of their home context, this is maybe one of the historical barriers to the planting of church here.
The bible teaches us that our citizenship is in heaven. Those who totally surrender to Him in abandoned dependance know what it is to be aliens in a foreign land. This earth will not be our forever home, we were never destined to fit in here, yet we are caused to love and bless the nation. In Jer 29 this is laid out for us, to seek the prosperity and Shalom of the city. God loves the city. We are called to pray for those in leadership of it, be relational in life and prayer with them, and look to God in the knowledge that although we will be here a long time, we are to fix our eyes on the eternal city. Our forever home will come. Christ has gone to prepare it for us.
Pray for those in identity crisis.
1) Pray for the Christians here who are not living sold out or missional lives because they have lost sight that this is not their forever home. The lure of this world in routine, laziness, toys and trappings is so the repeated lie the enemy uses to distract from the very missional calling each believer has here with so many unreached. LORD capitavate hearts to this place of surrender and obedience.
2) Pray for those whose Christian identity Is being swamped by the prevailing identity around, For some first generation believers this synchronous behaviour is influenced by family, or others either non native or indigenous who are exploring their identity by earning all they can and spending all they can.
3) Pray for those mission workers whose identity is from their sending country not flexible to this environment. Pray that the Lord will teach them how He loves the city and how they can also have a loving wise relationship with it, without them becoming synchronised to it.
4) Pray for those children (youth) of first generation believers. Their Mum and Dad's have had little training in the way of Christian leadership / biblical family dynamics. The gospel is still relatively new here. There was little contextual advice / biblical teaching around for new believers to apply in this context. Now some (I sense many) in the emerging generations are turning to the influence of their peers and rejecting the way of their parents (following Christ). Pray that God will open hearts and eyes to see both the wisdom of God in His word (which they have heard so clearly) and the love of Christ expressed through their parents. Praise God for pockets (relatively small numbers) of healthy teens and twenties. Pray God's protection over them and their influence on this country.
Lord may we never take the political and relative relational security of our nations for granted when we have it. May we never use it as a pretext for arrogant mission or communication of any relational pretension. Lord may our hearts be full, our communication agile, our mobility and surrender ready for your purposes and expansion of your eternal family and kingdom.
Hope this helps. May His church shine brightly and with clarity in such a day of opportunity.
Thank you again for your faithful prayers. We are united in Him, Your prayers are part of the national heart of prayer going up this evening.
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