“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.” Jeremiah 29:7

Jeremiah wrote these words to God’s chosen people as they were being chained and carted off to pagan Babylon for the rest of their lives. It was written in the midst of horrific adversity. And the message to them in the midst of that adversity was to pray for their captors—to love the city and the people in it.

It’s a great picture for us today. We are not home yet. Until the day we stand before Jesus, we live and die in exile. During this time, God calls us to love and pray for people, to invest in them, and work alongside them—not condemning them, insulating ourselves from them, or blending in with them—but loving them and seeking their welfare. We should recognize that God sends us to the places we live and work for His purposes.

To live as people who are sent, exiled, and waiting for Jesus’ return, we pray. We fix our hope for humankind on Jesus—not on material wealth or humanitarian aid or governmental policies or medical advancements. Those things are good, and we ask God for them, but by His power and for His glory, we never lose sight of every city’s greatest need. So we ask God to work in our cities, seeking salvation in Jesus for all who reside there.

• How can you pray for the welfare of your city?

• Pray: Take some time today to pray for the welfare of your city. Then, identify another city, country, or people group (check out joshuaproject.net for help) for which you will commit to pray.