B E H I N D / T H E / B A R

It was the half way point of my run the other morning when I passed a man walking toward me on the Walnut Street Bridge.  He was talking out loud, forcefully, almost like he was giving someone a verbal lashing, only no one was with him, and he didn’t appear to have a bluetooth device on his ear. His attention and his words seemed to be directed toward the cityscape that stood before him.   I took out my headphones, to listen to him as I ran past, wanting to hear who or what he was ranting about.  Suddenly, I recognized the foreign tongue with which he spoke and realized – he was praying.    Not even fifty feet behind him, I passed another man noticeably of another faith, doing almost the exact same thing.  With forceful words, and a serious countenance he was crying out toward my city, and the sound of his voice and the words he spoke made my blood run cold.

As I continued along on my run, I realized that people are praying over my city.  And I began to ask myself:

What are they praying?

To whom are they praying?

More importantly, am I praying?

This morning, someone prayed for your city.  They were crying out for a divine intervention in the place where you live.  What were they praying for specifically?  Who were they praying to?  But the big question – was it you?

Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper.                                           – Jeremiah 29:7 HCSB