“These are the people of Yehovah, and yet they have gone out of His land” Ezekiel 36:20 (NKJV)
The exile of Yehovah’s people is probably the most significant moment in the history of Israel. Perhaps even more that the lives of Abraham, Moses or David, the exile was a crucial turning point. It was so important because they had lost the land. The most shameful thing about being in exile was not the slavery, the poverty, the suffering – it was having been kicked out of the land. Because believers are often a minority, they tend to shy away from praying for the country they live in; instead they pray for the body of believers to be blessed. However this is not what Yehovah designed. Believers are meant to seek the success of the people in their country, and the body of believers – is merely a vehicle to see that happen. Sometimes you read about a revival, only to discover that actually the growth was down to believers moving to a particular fellowship or area, rather than the growth coming from the birth of new believers. If the community around the fellowship remains untouched, then there is something wrong. As a follower of Yeshua, one of your jobs is to love the country we live in and the people. Love your local community by serving and contributing to local life. Pray for the nation that you live in, and the leaders and politicians involved in government. Commit to praying for Yehovah’s will, plans and purposes to be done; in your life, in the lives of those around you, and in the wider sphere of your community, country and world.