A Light to the Nations
Opening Prayer
Lord, may Your light shine on me as I read Your Word today, and may I bring Your light to the world.
Read 1 Kings 8:46-61
[46] “When they sin against you-for there is no one who does not sin-and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near; [47] and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; [48] and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; [49] then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. [50] And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy; [51] for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace. [52] “May your eyes be open to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you. [53] For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance, just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign LORD, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.” [54] When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. [55] He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: [56] “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. [57] May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. [58] May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. [59] And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, [60] so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. [61] And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Do you take seriously your commission to spread the Gospel?Solomon concludes his prayer for his people, but why should God answer it? Why should he answer if, say, his people found themselves once again in a strange land as once they were in Egypt (51)?One reason is that there is a very special bond between the Lord and his people. He has chosen them to be his. Solomon says twice that they are his “inheritance” (51,53). They belong to him throughout the ages. Yet, they belong to him for a purpose. The Lord blesses them “so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other” (60). It’s a recurring theme in Scripture. We see it as early as Genesis (Gen. 12:1-3), and we also find it in prophecies (Isa. 49:6). The Lord chooses his people so that the whole earth may be blessed through them. And that is just as true for the New Testament people of God as it was for the people of the old covenant!
Apply
Tell the world of God’s wonderful love that has called you out of darkness and into his light.
Closing prayer
Father, make me aware of those who are on Your heart and give me courage to speak Your truth.
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