by Madelynn Keselburg on October 30, 2022
In the Old Testament, King Solomon built a temple as a place for the Spirit of the Lord to dwell among us. Solomon prayed a dedication prayer over the temple found in 1 Kings 8, in verse 41-43, he says,
“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name—for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.”
Foreigners are not a new idea and are not excluded from intimately knowing Our Creator. God has been revealing Himself to the Nations from the very beginning and He is still doing just that.
We live in a time where the Nations have become our co-workers, our neighbors, and our friends. From immigrants to refugees to international students, people from unreached areas that have little to no access to the Gospel, now living among us.
“Unfortunately, statistics show that most international students spend their time abroad almost completely isolated from their host culture. Few are invited into our homes as guests. One survey showed 80 percent of international students in the U.S. never see the inside of an American home.” (Mike K. “The Nations Among Us.”)
What is the fix to this miss of an opportunity to share the love of Christ to the internationals living among us? An invite, it is that simple. Walk alongside them, invite them over for dinner, hear their story, and let a true and genuine friendship begin that brings about the Kingdom of God.
We, the Church have an abundant opportunity to welcome those who come to us. God doesn’t have to use us to reveal Himself, but He does! What a humbling and amazing reality that we get to share the Gospel of Jesus with those who might not hear if they stayed in their home country. Not only that, but they get to take the Gospel back to their nation and share Jesus to their family and friends. Our simple yes to welcome internationals, God will multiply and build up His Kingdom in unreached areas of our World.
The next time you are in class, at the grocery store, at work, our taking a walk in your neighborhood, pay attention to those around you. Who does God want you to welcome?
