This verse is one of many passages in the Old Testament that reveal God’s missionary purpose for Israel, “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God.” Solomon seems to have grasped God’s purpose for Israel and he pleads with God for His continued blessing on Israel, not just for the sake of Israel, but for the sake of the whole world. 1 Peter teaches us that God wants no one to perish. He wants everyone, everywhere, to come to a saving knowledge of God.
Israel’s mission became the Church’s mission. Jesus gave it to us. In every Gospel and in the book of Acts as well as often in the Epistles believers are reminded of their mission. We are to be “other” focused in our lives.
A modern term for that is “missional.” That means to live our lives with a constant awareness of our mission of sharing God’s love with others. It’s truly a message of “love.” It’s called “good news.” Everyone needs love. Everyone needs God. Everyone needs to enter into a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Saving Faith removes the burden of self sufficiency, works righteousness, and gives God the supreme role, which is what he desires in each of our lives. LS Chafer said, “Saving faith may thus be defined as a voluntary turning from all hope and grounds based on self merit, and assuming an attitude of expectancy toward God, trusting Him to do a perfect saving work based only on the merit of Christ.”
What is our Mission? Show the world what it looks like to Trust in God through the merits of Jesus Christ. And as Francis of Assisi is well known for saying, “if necessary use words.”
Chuck
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8