Prayer and God’s Promises for the NationsSample

Grabbing Hold of God’s People 

Given a choice, Zechariah might have preferred to prophesy 500 years earlier during the reigns of David and Solomon. When the prophet arrived in Jerusalem with Jews from the Babylonian captivity, he found seventy-year-old rubble left where the city, its walls, and Solomon’s glorious temple used to stand. Zechariah and other Jewish leaders faced a massive rebuilding project with a demoralized bunch who themselves needed repair. Amid their despair, Zechariah reminded God’s people to hope in His promised future.

Zechariah envisioned a time when the people of God would represent Him among people of other nations and languages. The prophet said that one day God’s people would attract others because of the amazing things that they would do as they followed God—speak truth, champion justice, live exemplary lives, celebrate together. Zechariah wrote that in that future day, people speaking ten different languages would grab the sleeve of a Jew and say, “Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23).

People all over the earth are grasping for God. You can play a part in blessing the nations where God’s Good News isn’t readily available. God loves the nations, promised to bless them, and sent Jesus for them. Jesus commissioned his disciples to go and make more disciples. Each of us who has experienced Jesus’ compassion could say with Paul that “Christ’s love compels us” to be His ambassadors. 

What’s your role in God’s plan for the nations? Does He want you to invest a chunk of your income in overseas missions? Pray God’s promises for missionaries going to the nations? Leave your home to work in His harvest field? Think how it would feel to be the first believer that someone has ever known and have that person say, “You’re different. You’re blessed. Show me how I can come along and follow your God.”

Ask that people of all nations will seek and find believers, then follow them to Jesus. Meanwhile, ask God to reveal how He wants you to trust His promises and work in His worldwide harvest.