We can’t be ignorant of the church’s mission: the call to prayer.

Nehemiah answered this call at danger to his life. He answered the call to rebuild the city walls of his day. As the walls were being rebuilt in Jerusalem, watchmen were put on the walls to warn off approaching danger. It was risky to ask if he could rebuild a city that had once been an irritation to the king.

We may not be risking our lives the way Nehemiah did, but being a watchman requires something of our time and commitment.

Nehemiah’s concern for the people of the city motivated him to pray.

Our love for the people of Lock Haven should motivate us to pray, too.

We need to be so heartbroken over the brokenness of people that we think more about their well-being than we do about our convenience.

The watchmen are the intercessors God is calling. Those that through prayer have joy in their life with God — those who delight in that which delights God. Like those watchmen — builders standing in a gap in Nehemiah’s day; a sword in one hand, a masonry trowel in the other. He has made us agents of his kingdom, and He wants us to become transformative in every situation through Holy Spirit-energized prayer.

He has chosen to do this in partnership with humankind who will respond to His love and who will welcome His power and grace into their lives and then into the world.

Jesus said, “Here are the keys to the kingdom. You have the privilege of moving in partnership with the Father’s kingdom, and whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). ‘Binding’ is when we take action to invoke His rule by revoking the sin or evil in our town.

‘Loosing’ is when we take action by welcoming His Holy Spirit power to release the flow of His mercies and grace into the midst of our city’s pain and problems. And all the while, we remember that the power is His, but the privilege of tapping into it is ours.

It is His plan and the only kind of prayer that works; without His sovereign power, we can do nothing; without our obedient partnership, He will do nothing.

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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week’s column comes from Pastor Taylor Camerer of Great Island Presbyterian Church, Lock Haven.