1 Kings 8:22-23, 41-43

There is a lot of discussion going on right now concerning foreigners in the USA. Whether the issue is speaking our language or theirs, crime rates, the threat of terrorists sneaking in, or controlling the border, it is clear that many have strong feelings about foreigners. Know what? God does, too!

Nearly 500 years after Israel left their slavery in Egypt, King Solomon was privileged to dedicate the beautiful, first-ever temple, a gorgeous and expensive place. On the dedication day, the whole assembly of Israel was there to witness the fact that God had chosen to record his name in one particular place—the temple in Jerusalem, the capitol of God's promised land, the nation of Israel, whom God called his people. There had been many difficult years leading up to this day, as they forced their way into the Promised Land and pushed out the tribes of pagans who had inhabited it. If you went back into their history, you might be tempted to think that God only cared about Jewish people, the nation from whom the Savior would come. Not so.

In part of his dedication prayer, Solomon specifically includes foreigners. He doesn't ask God to eliminate them, but rather asks him to bless them, hearing and granting their prayers, which indicates that those foreigners were believers, "so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear (be in awe of) you." The Holy Spirit gave him these words to say, revealing God's heart for every human being who has ever lived. That prayer includes us, who live a long way from Jerusalem, who would clearly be foreigners if we were to walk its streets today. It also includes most who live in today's Jerusalem, as well as their neighbors, because they have tragically departed from the faith that focused on the promised Messiah, whom the Bible reveals is Jesus! He is the one who cared so deeply for the entire broken and fallen world, that he came to offer his own perfect life as the one payment that would purchase forgiveness for all our guilt and sin, and heal our broken relationship with God.

Our Jesus is a cross-country, cross-time, and cross-cultural Savior. He wants us to share him with pagans, agnostics, Muslims, Jews, people of all walks of life, and children of all colors and countries. As we struggle with our national issues regarding foreigners, he wants our first thought to be about their souls and then he widens our view to expand our prayers and offerings and mission outreach to "all the peoples of the earth." 

It's awesome that he has chosen you as his child by faith in Jesus! It's even more awesome that he has commissioned you to be involved in Solomon's prayer, "that all . . . may know" our Savior!