Praying two minutes for your city and those who lead it
You know the name of your city, but do you know who runs it? Who looks after the schools, the emergency rooms, the housing, the homeless? Two minutes a day is little. But taken regularly, they make you a resident who carries their city before God. This quest invites you to try it.
What it looks like in your day
Here is a very simple outline to follow in two minutes. You can do it while walking, brushing your teeth, waiting for the bus.
Thirty seconds: your neighborhood. Think of a street, of neighbors, of a shop. “Lord, bless this neighborhood.”
Thirty seconds: its leaders. The mayor, the elected officials, the local police, teachers, health workers. “Give them wisdom, justice, courage.”
Thirty seconds: one specific need. A local fact you heard about: a school closing, a housing project, tension between neighbors, an accident. Ask for that situation.
Thirty seconds: your role. “Lord, what can I do for the good of this city?”
To keep your prayer specific, you can read the local paper from time to time, or your city hall's website. You will discover needs that will feed your prayer.
If you are short on time, one sentence is enough. If you are shy, the prayer can be done in silence. If you move, adapt it to your new city in the first few weeks.
What the Bible says
The prophet Jeremiah writes to exiles in a city that is not theirs:
“And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.”
“Seek the peace of the city”: not only pray, but actively seek its good. And pray “unto the Lord for it”. The reason is simple: “in the peace thereof shall ye have peace”. Your city is not a backdrop: it is the place where your life plays out. Later, Nehemiah, in front of the ruins of Jerusalem, calls on his fellow countrymen:
“Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”
“Come, and let us build up the wall”: prayer for a city can lead to very concrete involvement. And the story of Esther reminds us that the place we occupy is no accident: “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
Pitfalls to avoid
Praying as a spectator. Your prayer is not a commentary on the news. It commits you: if God inspires an action (volunteering, a conversation, a vote), do it.
Criticizing instead of praying. Prayer for leaders is not a way of judging them. Ask for wisdom and justice for them.
Choosing according to your opinions. Pray for the elected officials you like as well as for those you disagree with.
Staying in generalities. “Bless my city” is a start. The more you know, the more accurately you pray.
Forgetting the least ones. In a city, those we notice least are often the most vulnerable: the homeless, foreigners, isolated elderly people. Think of them.
Today, take two minutes. Neighborhood, leaders, one specific need, your role.