A Heart for the City

Lots of churches tell us they have a ‘heart’ for their city. I saw this on a sign at the Victoria Hall Methodist Church in Sheffield (above and below). Perth City Church in Australia went a step further and now calls itself Heart for the City. Its website explain that it

‘…changed its name in November 2017 as an affirmation of our identity. We believe God has given us this name as a reflection of who we are and remind us to have His heart for all. We believe that all are welcome and all are wanted in His house.’

It’s funny, but I never recall the Apostle Paul telling the Corinthians to have a heart for Corinth. If anything, that was part of their problem. They were living in Corinth and Corinth was still living in them. Of course we should love the people around us, at work and where we live. But if we are to ‘have a heart’ for something, may it be for Christ, and Him alone. When He reigns fully in the heart, your love for Him spills out into love for all others.

Ephesians 3:17 says ‘so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.’