"But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."
God promises us that blessings upon our city will be reflected as blessings on us. Our charge then is to pray for the good of the city. We should be agents of truth and life among the people that surround us. Personally, living in College Station presents a unique and wonderful opportunity to minister to college students from around the state and the nation. Most of you are probably familiar with verse 11, but I encourage and challenge you to read the rest of chapter 29 and examine the context around it. As many wiser than I have said: Context Is Everything.
Jeremiah exhorts us to entrench ourselves in the place that God has brought us to and to work and live among the people. We are aliens, but we are called to reside among the city as we abide in Christ. In doing this God promises to unveil His beautiful plan for our future. Even then, that revelation is prefaced upon our response to God and how we go about life in our "host empire" to quote Michael Frost. We are told to seek God with our whole hearts and only then will he reveal that plan to us. Through that seeking He will bring us back from our exile, into the place He has prepared for us. But we're not there yet.
Pray for your city. Be a part of the people that comprise it. Be a kingdom difference maker.
-matt
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