A few months ago, I began hearing loud sirens in my area on a regular basis. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to them, but when I started hearing them day and night, I confess that it rattled me. My husband, Joe, and I live in a very quiet suburban area, so we are not used to hearing loud sounds. Each time I would hear those sirens, I would earnestly pray for God’s protection and peace upon my neighborhood and my community.

I began combing our local newspapers online to find out what could be causing all of the sirens on a daily basis. That’s when I discovered that there had been an uptick of criminal activity in our area. One of our neighbors confirmed this fact after he had spoken with our local police. Now, I was really concerned, and my prayers for my area got that much more frequent and fervent.

One day, Joe went up into our attic to get something down. Suddenly, he began hearing loud sirens very close to him. That’s when he discovered an old toy ambulance that we had bought for our grandson, William, some years ago. When Joe brought it down to show me, I was incredulous. That little ambulance would randomly sound off, making us think that we were hearing real sirens. We both burst out laughing, and we marveled at how that little toy had driven us crazy for so long.

When I asked the Lord why He allowed that toy ambulance to torment me all those weeks, He spoke to my heart and said that it had caused me to intercede in frequent and fervent prayer for my neighborhood and community. He reminded me that while I prayed for my nation on a regular basis, I wasn’t consistently praying “local” prayers. And He brought to mind His instructions in Jeremiah 29:7 (NKJV): “Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” This verse refers to God’s people exiled in Babylon, but the principle applies to us today. We are to “seek the peace of the city” where we live, and we are to “pray to the Lord for it.” Why? Because “in its peace [we] will have peace.” As I write this, I can see that little toy ambulance on a bookshelf in my office. It reminds me to earnestly pray “local” prayers for my surroundings. I pray that my experience will inspire and challenge YOU to pray your own local prayers!

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times that I neglected to pray for my neighborhood, my town, or my nation. Fill me with gratitude for all of the blessings You surround me with on a regular basis. Help me to see the good all around me, and make me a powerful intercessor. Thank You that as I follow Your lead in prayer, You will cause me to live in peace and safety!