You make beautiul things

For about 3 weeks now, there's been 2 hours of worship and prayer going on each day in Jakomäki, at a prayer room which is also a church office. Various different people, including myself, have taken two hour slots there to worship God and pray for the area, as well as whatever God puts on our hearts to pray for.

It has been really great to be back in Jakomäki. This was where I lived for the year I was in Finland before, and God has definitely given me a heart for the area. Jakomäki is an area in Helsinki with something of a reputation across Finland for being a bit rough. There are many alcoholics, many immigrants,and many of the poorer people in Helsinki there. Every time I've told someone anywhere in Finland that I had lived there, I could see the reaction on their faces.

But there are people who God has given a heart to see Jakomäki changed. A prayer room and office is being rented in Jakomäki, right next door to one of the many pubs in the area. Last week a group of us rearranged the place, so that now half the place is the office and kitchen area, and the other half is the prayer room. We felt it was important that the prayer room could function while the office is in use, and that there was a dedicated area for worship and prayer.

Worshiping and praying there has been great. Starting from the place of exalting Jesus and worshiping Him, God has given us revelation of His heart for the area, which fuels the fire of worship and prayer. Jakomäki is His garden; He is breathing on the area and bringing life to it, much like Aslan does when he breathes on people turned to stone and makes them alive again.
Also I felt God gave me Isaiah 62 as a word for the area, especially verse 4:
"You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; For the LORD delights in you, And your land shall be married."

God delights in Jakomäki and has chosen it, although from a human perspective it may not seem desirable. I believe what God is doing in Jakomäki will be a sign and a wonder to the nation of Finland.

Last Saturday, we were involved in part of 'Urbaani Unelma' (a few days where the Church across Helsinki shared God's love in practical ways), again in Jakomäki. About 12 of us spent a few hours in the main central square of Jakomäki, giving out free coffee, pulla, and sandwiches and talking to people who passed by. We had good conversations with people and were able to pray with some, and we were able to share God's love with people. Others also picked up litter from the surrounding area.
I spent much of the time playing guitar and worshiping God there - it was great, declaring Jesus as Lord and singing over Jakmäki that "God is your Shield, your Strength, your Portion, your Deliverer, your Shelter, Strong Tower, your very present Help in time of need".

Finally, I was also inspired to sing the song 'Beautiful Things' by Gungor (video at the end of this). The lines "Could all that is lost ever be found? Could a garden come up from this ground at all?" expressed perfectly what in the flesh I've often felt about this place. As I was singing this, I could see people sat outside the pub drinking who've been there every day for years, the faces of people walking past who've lived pretty difficult lives, and then there's the thought that all the rubbish we'd been picking up would be back again within days. Could a garden really come up from this ground?

But then came the response: "You make beautiful things out of the dust", and with that hope began to rise. As I repeated it, faith was stirred up in me, a faith that sees things not as they are now but as they will be. God is making something truly beautiful out of Jakomäki.