We know from reading scripture that God cares about every person on the planet and there is not a people group that is outside of His global plan of redemption. However, we cannot miss as we read the Bible that God has always had a heart for the cities where the masses are living.
God’s passion comes out for the large cities in the book of Jonah in an incredible way. He is moved by the multitudes that do not know Him and declares, “should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left.”
Even a nation like Babylon that was wicked in the sight of God to the degree that He promised to totally destroy its evil culture, God through Jeremiah tells His people who are living in captivity there, “And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.”
Throughout the book of Acts and the birth of the missions movement as we know it today we see God consistently sending his missionaries to the largest cities of that day to reach out to the greatest number of people possible with the message of the gospel. We read many stories of individuals coming to Christ but when God was reassuring Paul about pending persecution He reminded him, “for I am with you , and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
The grand plan of worldwide redemption starts in a garden goes through a cross and ends in a city. Yes God cares about the one individual that lives in remote Montana or Malawi but He also knows that the largest number of people in 1st or 21st century will always be found in the cities of the world.
How can we too not have compassion and prioritize reaching the millions that live there who still to this day cannot discern between their right hand and their left.