"Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord."
(Psalm 117:1-2)
Lord, we celebrate your love for all nations. Though you chose the nation of Israel to be like a priest among the nations, teaching others about you, your ways, and your love, the Israelites were often nationalistic. They settled for what you were doing in and among them, instead of considering what you might be doing through them in the lives of those outside their nation, and instead of embracing their calling of being a light to all nations and to all peoples. Many of us today can be like the Israelites of old, focusing on "our people", whether we define "our people" by those who have the same skin color, or the same national citizenship, or the same political party. Forgive us, O Lord. Help us see the people around us (and those far from us) as you do: people created in your image.
Very few of us reading these words are of Jewish descendant, which reminds us, O Lord, to be thankful that your love is for all the nations. Thank you for loving and saving us. We pray, let your love not stop with us, but use us to be light in this world, shining your truth and love to all people everywhere, that more and more might know you and love you like we do, and might find life in our Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only way, truth, and life. We praise you O God, and humbly ask that you might use us to be a blessing, even for those who are not like us. In Jesus' name, amen.
