Do you ever feel like you are in exile? As if the city that you are living in is not worth engaging in? After all, we know that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven, so it sometimes seems pointless to seek the well-being of others around us here on earth.

Yet, as Tyler Castle notes, Jeremiah 29 calls Christians to seek the peace and prosperity of the city. This means:

Creation is fundamentally good. Life is good. Relationship is good. Work is good. We are called to invest deeply in each of these things, not distance ourselves like spiritualistic hermits. And we are also taught to care and pray for the city or nation that we live in. Whether that place is Washington, Las Vegas or Paris, no place is too far gone for Christians to engage with it and seek its welfare. Disengagement with the world around us is a sign of disingenuous faith.

This means that we are to care about local and world affairs, be intentional about serving others, and go work with a sense of purpose—even if that job is not directly related to Christian missions or ministry.

Ultimately, we are citizens of heaven. But part of that means being engaged here and now, working to spread the gospel and restore creation to the way God intended it.

How can we be involved in the affairs of the world without losing sight of our ultimate purpose? Read Castle’s thoughts here.