The New Long Beach

There was a gathering of over 100 Long Beach pastors in mid-December where Beth Balmer, one of the pastors at Grace LB, prayed this over us all. As you read it, see if you can make this prayer for Long Beach (or your city… or our world) for the New Year.

The New Long Beach
Orig. “The New Glasgow” by Doug Gay, adapted by Ryan Smernoff

I saw a vision – it was last Thursday at eleven o’clock in the morning:

I was standing on Signal Hill, looking over the city; and the cool azure autumn sky broke open above my head and the Spirit of God breathed on my eyes
and my eyes were opened.

I saw Long Beach, the holy city, coming down out of the heavens; shining like a rare jewel, sparkling like “clear water in the eye of the sun”; and all the sickness was gone from the city,
there were no more apartments and suburbs;
no difference between Belmont Shore and downtown.

I saw the coastal waves, crashing with the water of life, as bright as crystal,
as clear as glass,
and children of Long Beach swimming in them.

And the Spirit showed me the tree of life, growing in the center of the traffic circle.

I looked out and there were no more homeless people, no more women working the streets,
no more needles in the alleys,
AIDS and cancer were things of the past.
There were no more racist attacks,
no more gay bashings,
no more rapists,
no more shootings,
no more Bloods and Crips,
no more gang graffiti, no more protests for repentance, because there was no more hate.

And I saw women walking safe at night,
saw that the men were full of passion and gentleness, no children were ever abused,
because the people’s cravings were full of justice and joy.

I saw an old woman throw back her head
and laugh like a young girl.
And when the sky closed back, her laughter rang in my head for days and days,
and would not go away.

This is what I saw, looking over Long Beach, looking up from the city of death.
And I knew then that there would be a day of resurrection.

And I believe that there will be a day of resurrection.