Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. (Psalm 67:4)
"Let the Nations Be Glad"
I remember reading this verse for the first time, and thinking, "Yes, I want the nations to be glad! How can that happen?" There have been times in my life when I have believed (or acted as if I believed) that many things could make the nations glad. Maybe we can provide food, clothing, shelter or quality healthcare to make the nations glad. Or maybe if everyone was at peace the nations would be glad...
The reality is that it's possible to do or have those things (which are all good things) and not be truly “glad” in the way God’s word describes. While it may seem that success, security, health or peace will make us glad, God has something much better for us.
As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Weight of Glory, "It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
So what will make the nations glad? The scriptures are clear that the nations (all people) will be joyful and fulfilled when we worship the creator. It is for our good that God wants us to delight in the One who can bring us true joy. We were created for his glory, and when we reject the idols around us and embrace him, we will be glad. Psalm 40:16 says, “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!”
The best way we can engage in making the nations glad is by making God king of our individual lives. When we do that, we will buy into his plans, which include redeeming people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. We will share his glory with the nations, and his Spirit will cause them to worship him and be eternally glad.
How to pray...
- That we won't be pleased with the fleeting joys of this world, but that we will treasure Christ above all. Pray that the love of Christ would fuel our hearts for the glory of God being proclaimed among the nations.
- For Peter and Jenny Boling, missionaries and church planters in La Paz, Mexico. The Bolings serve with Mission to the World, and they hosted the LBC mission trip to Cabo in 2015. Peter also spoke at our first Missions Festival in January. Pray for fruitful work as the Bolings team up with a Mexican church planter in La Paz.
- Pray for the advance of the gospel throughout Latin America: in Brazil, host of the Olympics; and in Venezuela, a nation in crisis.
- Pray for church planting among the growing Puerto Rican population right here in Orlando. LBC and our partners look to God in faith for gospel work among the Latino population in coming years.
For the Family
Look at a map of the world as a family and talk about the different nations of the world. For the younger kids, help them find where you live on the map and talk about how long it might take by boat or plane to get to different places around the world.
Have your child name all the different languages that they have heard about.
The world that God created is so big and there are so many people. God is so amazing—he not only created everyone uniquely but he loves each person unconditionally and hears all the voices of all the nations.
Have your children point to a random place on the map and pray for that nation together.
Contributors
"Let the Nations Be Glad" - Andrew Balducci
Andrew Balducci and his wife, Ellen, moved to Orlando from Oxford, MS in 2011 to work with the General Counsel Office at the Cru headquarters. Andrew and Ellen are members of LBC and co-lead a community group for young adults, along with TJ and Anna Sellers. Andrew is a member of the Global Missions Team and participated in an LBC missions trip to Cabo, Mexico in the summer of 2015.
"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse
Michelle Crouse has served as the director of LBC's children's ministry—SPLASH Kids—since the end of 2011. She and her husband Joshua were married in 2002 and have 2 children. Michelle grew up outside of Boston and graduated from James Madison University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She loves being with kids and loves the opportunity to be a part of teaching children how much they are loved by God, and helping them grow in their understanding of what that means.