Kingdom in Prague.

My phone is vibrating 5:30am, nagging me to lift my drowsy head up and start the day. This is not a typical waking time for me, and after only four hours of sleep my body is trying to convince my heart that nothing on earth is worth getting up this early. Maybe that’s true. But the reason I’m up so early is not for anything on earth. I’m up to join others in calling heaven down to earth. All the small churches that make up the Christian population in Prague are coming together this morning on the steps of the “Muzeum,” one of Prague’s most beautiful landmark buildings, to pray and speak over the city.

So my heart wins the argument and I get up and start the coffeemaker. My flatmates are starting to stir and one by one we quietly get up and move around with our squinty morning faces. An hour later we’re on the Metro… ten minutes more and we’re getting off at Muzeum… and by 6:45am we’re standing on the steps of the Muzeum, looking out over Wenceslas Square and huddling together in clothes and shoes that are ill-equipped to handle the 34 degrees outside.

We prayed a lot of specific things over the city, but the prayer I kept going back to was for Prague to know the love of God. For his love to be felt even through guilt, skepticism, offense, and apathy.

Prague, no matter what you have done, God loves you through it.

No matter what has been done to you, God has a plan for you because of that love.

No matter how much you may doubt his existence, he doesn’t disregard yours.

No matter how little you care about God, he still cares intensely for you.

Skip ahead six hours: after lunch the team decided to walk across the Charles Bridge and pray.  The three statues above are installed along each side of the Charles Bridge, as well as plenty of other works of art. Tourists flood all 1,690 feet (the length of the bridge) to take pictures, but jewelry, and listen to the bands that take up residence between statues. The views from the bridge are amazing, and I felt so lucky to be here in this stunning city. I’m living as a local (for a month), looking like a tourist (the accent gives it away), and labeled as a missionary because of the trip I’m on. But none of that is important. The fact is, I’m just here. God called me to this beautiful bridge in the heart of Prague to speak to this city and pray for heaven to come to earth.