Thursday, September 3, 2026

Bible in a Year Reading Plan: Numbers 21-24 | 2 Corinthians 7

Near my apartment is a small community church, a local Muslim school, and houses with families of all ages, backgrounds, and stages of life. When I go on walks, as I often do, I invite Jesus to walk with me for even just a few minutes, and I pray. 

I pray for the well-being of all the people in my community, including leaders and those in authority. I pray for the neighbor I haven’t seen for a while. I pray for the new school year, the administrators, and the teachers. I pray for pastors and churchgoers. I pray about overseas conflicts and how they may impact those in my city. I pray about natural disasters. I pray for the people in my life and for what they need. I pray for change.

1 Timothy 2:1-2
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 

Scripture reminds us that prayer is one of the most powerful ways we can engage with our communities. Loving a city means not only serving it but also faithfully praying for its peace, flourishing, and spiritual renewal. 

As we rush through our everyday lives, it’s easy to overlook all the ways people are impacted by what is going on in our city. On the flip side, it’s hard not to see how politically and socially divisive we’ve become. But God wants us to intentionally pray for the people he has placed in our communities, including the leaders he has put in authority, even when they’re not like us. 

God is inviting us to participate in a plan that’s bigger than us, and we can be confident that he is working “for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). 

Ask God what you can do in your city. You may not be a mayor, pastor, or school administrator, but God has given you the authority to pray and intercede for those who are. By faithfully praying for the good of your city and the people in it, you are participating in what God is doing through all the people he has put in your life. 

Questions: 
Who can you be intentionally praying for this week?

What do you see God working through in your city?

What has changed about your city that you can be praying for? 

Next Steps: 
Go on a 10-minute prayer walk. 

Text a friend and ask what you can be praying for on their behalf.

Journal and pray for city leaders.

Prayer: 
God, I urge you to intercede for my city. I pray for my city’s peace, for it to flourish, and for its spiritual renewal. You have called us to pray for the people in our community, especially those put in authority. I pray you would give them courage, peace of mind, and strength as they continue to lead in whatever capacity that may be. I see you are working through my city, and I trust you in whatever my city may be dealing with. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

John 13:35
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” 

Written by Becca Roberts, a regular contributor to the Daily Devotional.