God in the midst of a city

By Darlene Smith
RR Ministerial

God has tremendous love for cities, towns, villages and countries. I believe because He has tremendous love for the people who live in them.
He is really a strange God. He is different because He loves those under His charge. He loves to dwell with them; live in the middle of them. He wants them to be involved with what He‚s doing and wants to be involved in what they are doing.
Throughout the Bible, scripture records the heart of God for living in our midst.
Zephaniah 3:17
17 For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song.‰
Jesus demonstrated in this verse below an agonizing of heart. Look at His emotions for this particular city.
Matthew 23:37-39
37 „O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God‚s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn‚t let me. 38 And now look, your house is left to you, empty and desolate. 39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ŒBless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!‚ ‰
He wants to gather us and love on us but when we don‚t invite Him in, it will leave us empty and desolate.
God often speaks using parables or symbolism to express His heart.
Jerusalem in the Bible is a symbol or type.
Revelation 21:1-4
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, „Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.‰
I believe this is God‚s will for every city. He wants to be in the middle of what we are doing while we are in the middle of what He is doing.
Acts 10:38
38 And no doubt you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, for God was with him.
This is what He is doing. What are we doing? We should be doing the same thing.
Dear Lord, we want You in our midst. Gather us as a mother hen. Pour Your comforting, healing, and accepting love into us so we will not be empty and desolate.