Praying for Worcester, MA at 5:08 p.m. during June 2014

Praying for our city – Worcester, Mass.  

For the month of June, we are focusing on the time of 5:08 p.m. (and/or 5:08 a.m. for early risers) to pray for our city. Why? Because this is where God has sent us to love others and bring light to the dark places within people's hearts and throughout our city. Jesus brings the redemption, reconciliation and restoration necessary to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual poverty, injustice, brokenness, guilt, pain and suffering in Worcester. And He has called us to be His missionary servants to this city's context. We follow His lead, the God who contextualized for us in becoming man to suffer with us and for us and to bring us His resurrection life.

"Contextualization is an inherently ‘other-centered’ exercise because it forces a missionary to consider those outside the church in order to provide a welcoming environment for them inside the church. A church for its city must continuously assess whether it is accounting for the uniqueness and eccentricities of its neighborhoods as it seeks to minister to it.

Questions to ask continually are:

1. What does good news look/sound like in my neighborhood?
2. How does the gospel address the longings for good news expressed by the people in my neighborhood and/or city?
3. Am I portraying the gospel as the reportage of vibrant news of something that actually happened in history and has immediate and future impact, or as a dusty, old religion that may or may not change the way one sees the present and future? – For the City

How can we thoughtfully ask these questions and listen well without bringing our own answers to the table? We ask the Light of the world – Jesus – to shed light on us and in us as we seek to serve those around us. We need to see as He sees, hear as He hears and love as only He can love. Only He can provide the healing, justice, mercy and grace necessary to bring about change because the good news that Jesus lived, died, resurrected and ascended is the power of God breaking into this world and bringing new life. So, as we seek to follow Him and become more like Him through the power of His Spirit, we listen again to His Word:

" ... 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. ... For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart." – Jeremiah 29:7, 11-13

" ... You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." – Matthew 5:14-16 

As people who dwell in and around this great city in the heart of Massachusetts, we have been given a great responsibility. 

As God says in the book of Jeremiah, " ...  pray to the Lord on its behalf ... ," our first responsibility is to pray. So we invite you to pray with us for Worcester. 

And pray that we would be who Jesus told us we are – a light that brings out the God-colors in our neighborhoods and on our streets. Strengthen us through your prayers for us to be a city on a hill in the city of seven hills. Help us to see the story God is writing outside our front door and inside our homes. And help us to persevere in faithfulness as we wait and watch for God's work to bring about His abundant grace.

"When we don't receive what we pray for or desire, it doesn't mean that God isn't acting on our behalf. Rather, he's weaving his story. Paul tells us to 'continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving' (Colossians 4:2). Thanksgiving helps us to be grace-centered, seeing all of life as a gift. It looks at how God's past blessings impact our lives. Watchfulness alerts us to the unfolding drama in the present. It looks for God's present working as it unfolds into future grace. Watch for the story God is weaving your life." – A Praying Life

We're thankful for Worcester and the story God is writing here. Join us in praying for – not only the welfare and peace of Worcester – but more than we can possibly imagine.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." – Ephesians 3:20-21

  

– Sully 

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