God of This City

From the first time I heard that song, "God of This City," (originally by Bluetree, also recorded by Chris Tomlin) I loved it. It was inspired during a trip to Thailand when the band had the opportunity to play in a bar in the heart of a city there. The city was highly well-known for tourism, prostitution, and homelessness. As the songwriter was ministering, he was moved with the thought that despite the huge magnitude of pain, poverty, and sin God still has His claim on that city and every city in the world. Things aren't yet as He intends them to be, but He is Lord of lords. He is the God of the city, even if the people don't know it. He will remake this earth so that every city is free of the bondage it is currently in.

I often consider that, especially now that I'm living in a city. The city is usually perceived as a place that is God-less. Living so close to a big city like Los Angeles, I feel that godlessness at times. One of my wonderful new friends that I work with shared with me that there exist some groups in the area which target youth and college campuses to bring them into their "churches" by offering love and acceptance but then teach them deceptive philosophy and cut them off from their families through manipulative beliefs. It scared me because these groups are growing quickly and they are deceiving the very future of our nation. But on two separate occasions now as I was driving through at night, the bright lights lighting up the sky that song came on the radio:

You're the God of this City 

You're the King of these people 

You're the Lord of this nation 

You are
You're the Light in this darkness

You're the Hope to the hopeless

You're the Peace to the restless

You are
There is no one like our God 

There is no one like our God 

For greater things have yet to come 

And greater things are still to be done in this City

It's a promise to be remembered. There really is a lot of crap happening in the city. It's discouraging. It's easy to forget God is still here. But there is some great news! GOD IS HERE. There ARE people who are giving their lives for Him and seeking Him with all their hearts. I had the privilege of attending a meeting this week of a few friends from LA. As I listened to their stories of how God has been speaking to them and working in their lives recently, I was overcome with joy that the Holy Spirit is working and moving among our young people. He is alive. There are glimmers of hope in the dirty streets.

We need discipleship. We need warriors to engage in the spiritual battle that is at hand and help us fight. I personally experience the attacks of discouragement, negativity, complacency, worldly ways of thinking, doubt, idolatry. I fear that I may be sucked into the godlessness, or be overcome by insecurity, or be deceived. Really, how can Christ's church survive in this? And to be honest, I don't know the answer to that question. I could make up something that sounds good with scripture and all to back it up, but the state of our society is hanging by threads. It needs a miracle. Yet knowing that I still have this excitement that there are a few truly experiencing the kingdom of heaven here. I wish more could.

On another subject, I am so very thankful because God answered my prayers for friends here. I am incredibly blessed to work with a few young women who have been a great encouragement to me and who make me feel accepted and encouraged, who laugh with me, confide in me, listen to me, share their church families with me, and just hang out and have fun. Having at least one or two people around that I can confide in is very important to me, and God is meeting that desire. He loves to grant me good gifts. I feel spoiled by my Father!

Things are going better with the moms. Since I live with them now, I get to interact with them more often. I learn bits and pieces of their stories, and they are so talented! One is amazing at makeup and does some sort of consulting for a magazine. Another paints beautiful complex nail designs. And the kids! I love them more every day. As we get to know each other better they warm up to me more. On Thursday, one of our seven-year-old boys asked me,

"Miss Jessica, are you going to pick me up from school tomorrow?"
"Yes, Nathan, I get to pick you up tomorrow."
"Yay!" he said.

It warms my heart just thinking about it. Kids have a lot of power over people's emotions, and they don't even realize it.