Prayer Walk by Jon Opgenorth

Prayer Walk January 5, 2019 Read: Genesis 13 Arise, walk through . . . the land . . . (v. 17) I cannot read this story without thinking about two of my sisters who shared a too-small room. Today they are great friends. But as kids? Oh my! A line of tape marked the boundary that shall not be crossed! Each howled at the other if she thought she had the lesser half. In Genesis 13, Abram and Lot separate to keep the peace. Lot chooses the better parcel. The Lord then promises Abram that he will possess all he can see and commands him to walk through the land. Abram obeys and then settles in his tent near Hebron. We might call this the first prayer walk in Scripture. David had not yet written Psalm 16:6, but I wonder if Abram sang “the lines have fallen for me in pleasant places” after his tour. Have you ever prayer walked? As a pastor, I struggled with our move to Orange City, Iowa, until a deacon named Doug invited me to prayer walk around the town. Nearly every Friday for a year we walked and prayed, lifting before God the people and houses we passed. Something happened. My heart grew warm for this town and my burden for them to know the hope of Jesus increased. Although at first I could not imagine why I was there, after a while I could not imagine ever leaving. God has placed you where you are for a reason. Walk around and pray. See what God has given you to love in the name of Jesus. —Jon Opgenorth As you pray, ask God to help you see what he sees and feel what he feels.