Pray the word with David Platt is a resource from radical dot net.

Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 7

but 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.

What a command from God to his people as they were living in exile.

So picture the scene you have God's people taken over by the Babylonians who destroy Jerusalem and the temple and take people and they're scattered from their land, from family, from friends in a foreign land, and God is instructing them during that time to seek the welfare of the city around them,

where they have been sent into exile, to seek the welfare of that city, seek the good of that city.

Pray to the Lord on its behalf.

Pray for this city where you are in exile, for in its welfare, you will find your welfare.

Now obviously that's a command from God in a very specific situation in the Old Testament.

But I think the application certainly relates to us wherever we live, even as I'm studying and preaching through First Peter right now,

and being reminded continually that I am, we are sojourners, exiles in this world.

No matter what country we live in,

we ultimately belong to another country, a heavenly country.

We're not living for this country ultimately wherever we may live, including the United States.

And yet God calls us to pray for the good of the country we live in,

to pray for leaders around us,

to pray for the welfare of the city around us.

This is part of what it means to be the people of God, to intercede on behalf of the people

around us, of the city around us, of the country around us pray to the Lord on its behalf

for in its welfare you will find your welfare so I want to lead us to pray in this way specifically for the United States in light of most

followers of Jesus who listen to this podcast living in the United States but certainly for brothers and sisters who are in

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