“The Lord has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.”

Isaiah 14:32

Jerusalem (Zion) is the wealthiest of all cities. How is that? Because Zion is the city that “God has established…” (Isaiah 14:32). Jerusalem, Zion is a God-elected, God-decreed, God-created, God-protected, and God-loved city. And that’s what makes Jerusalem wealthy (at least spiritually speaking). Many of the names for Jerusalem reflect her richness: The Perfection of Beauty, The Throne of the Lord, the Holy City, City of Festivals, even the City of God. God Himself refers to Jerusalem as “My City,” or more often, “My Holy Mountain.” Yeshua called it: the City of the Great King. No city on the face of the earth is as spiritually rich as the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is “the center of the nations” (Ezekiel 5:5) Jerusalem is “the center of the earth.” (Ezekiel 38:12).

Yet, economically speaking, Jerusalem can’t compete with the great cities of the world in terms of its industry and commerce. Jerusalem is the poorest city in Israel. Nearly half of the children in Jerusalem are growing up in families with income below the poverty line.

Yet many Jews continue to pray and believe for a better future for Jerusalem. On both weekdays and festivals Ashkenazi Jews say grace after their meals praying: “Have mercy, Lord our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, on Zion the abode of Your Majesty…” Sephardi Jews do the same in their weekday prayer to God which goes like this: “Dwell in Jerusalem, Your city, as You have promised, and speedily establish there the throne of David Your servant, and rebuild it as an everlasting structure, speedily in our days. Blessed are You, O God, builder of Jerusalem.”

Over the past two Millennia much of the world has cared little about this dusty poverty-stricken city in the Middle East. But in recent years something has suddenly changed. True Born-again believers are beginning to rally around Jerusalem. God has placed in our hearts a remarkable love and concern for this poor and afflicted city.

Just yesterday Pastor Seth and I visited a soup kitchen just two blocks away from the Pavilion. We were invited to visit this very significant center by its Orthodox directors. Every day this soup kitchen serves a hot meal over 300 Jerusalemites. This is just one of about 14 such centers in Jerusalem.

One of the things we envision in 2007 is to do more as a community to express the Father heart of God and do more to help the afflicted in Jerusalem. On various Sunday evenings over the next few months we’ll be presented with opportunities to reach out to those in desperate need. We’ll be challenged to give financially and we’ll be challenged to give of our time. In this way we’ll not only help make Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62:6,7) but also a city of refuge.