How to Love Our Overly Transient City

Our friend, Adam Mabry, over at Aletheia Church in Cambridge wrote a blog earlier this week called The Gospel for the Relational Exhausted. It's really a must read for any Christian in Boston. In the blog he highlights what we all know and feel - Boston is exceedingly transient, and it's hard. It's hard for those of us who move away, and it's hard for those of us who stay. It's exhausting, even for the most extraverted among us (like myself). But the message of Jesus gives us hope even in our despair. 

The gospel tells us that this is not our home, but our home is in heaven. The gospel tells us that the Christian friendships with brothers and sisters that we have now will continue throughout all eternity and only get more rich. And the gospel tells us that our relationship with Jesus is enough to satisfy us.

I love what the book of Jeremiah has to say about loving a temporary city such as ours. "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

So, how do we love this beautiful, overly transient city in which we live? It looks different for each of us, but there are lots of things we can do to love and serve our city. Some of us need to commit to stay for the good of our city. Boston has so many Christians who come and go, but we need some folks to stick around. I know staying is hard! This city is expensive and relationally exhausting. But if we want to make an impact on our neighborhood, we need a group of Christians to band together as community and seek the welfare of our city over the long-haul.

And I know there are some of us who will end up moving to another city, but the message for you is BE WHERE YOU ARE. The Lord has you in this place for this time, so invest here as much as you can. And those of us who are committed to staying, we should strive to invest in our transient brothers and sisters as well, even though it will hurt when they move. When it hurts, keep your eyes on eternity where you'll sit by the river of life together in the glory of our Father.

- Pastor Fletcher