And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ~ Micah 6:8
One thing is for sure, no matter how you have been living in the midst of the pandemic, people are spending more time close to home. Extended time in our homes and neighborhoods invites us to explore opportunities to connect or improve our communities. We have seen the increase of home improvement projects as people focus on their homes and families, and that is great! But we can also use this time to turn our focus outward and look at the community surrounding us. An amazing place to start is to go on a prayer walk.
What is a prayer walk? What do you do on a prayer walk?
Prayer walks are very simple. Walk Humbly with Your God. As you walk through your neighborhood or community, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in what to pray as you walk. Pay attention to what the Spirit draws your attention to. What are the physical things you see or do not see? Who are the people you notice? Where are the activity hubs? When are the quiet times? When are the busy times? Two of my favorite questions to pray through as I walk is how can I see the kingdom of God now, and how would the neighborhood change as the kingdom continues to expand?
Prayer walks can be a one-time event or a regularly occurring event, but you will learn more about your community if you walk at varying times of day. As you add prayer walks to your routine, you will begin to recognize the key people, places, and times of importance for your community. God will start to show you where to focus; His spirit will reveal where He is already working and preparing the ground for His Kingdom to take root and start to grow. Where He is working is where you should turn your attention. Prayer is the foundation for all meaningful work, and it is essential to integrate in all community care and connection.
Will you start to prayer walk in your community? Let me know how it goes. I would love to hear what God reveals about your community!
KATHY PIERBURG 