You can hardly blame the Jews who had been exiled to Babylon for looking for a way out of their circumstances. They were living in a foreign country as political prisoners. Their homeland was far away, and there was no hope of returning. They were looking for a quick deliverance to restore their fortunes. Instead, they got a clear word from the Lord to settle in for the long term and plant gardens, build houses, marry and increase in number. Most shocking, God told them to pray for and seek ’the good of the land’ because if it prospered, so would they.
Praying for the good of our land is contrary to our instincts. We want to push back, protest and demand our rights until we get our way, but Jesus calls us to something higher and better for us and our land. In a moment that points us to Phil 2, the instruction is for us to deny ourselves, lay our ‘stuff’ aside and give ourselves to standing in the gap for the good of our land. As we do that, good things happen for the communities we live and by extension, good things happen for us.
For more information about Duncan Pentecostal Church visit our website at: www.duncanchurch.com
