Ask for the Nations
Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. Psalms 2:8
I had a lot of time this week to think about this Psalms 2. I know that it is a prophetic chapter about Jesus and there are many references in it about Him and to Him. I found the beginning part to be comforting and it even makes me chuckle a little, because no matter how much the nations of the world rage and the people plot against God and His Anointed, my heavenly Father is not worried about it. He sits in the heavens and laughs at their futile efforts to make progress against Him.
What I meditated on the most was the scripture that I selected for the key verse of this chapter. I realize that it is speaking to the King of kings, but it says: If you would ask me for the nations, I would give them to you as your inheritance, even to the ends of the earth. Basically, He is saying I would give You the world if you asked Me.
Again, knowing that He is talking to Jesus because the next verse says that He will break the nations with a rod of iron and dash then to pieces like a potter’s vessel, I wasn’t sure that I could apply this verse personally. As I thought about it, I imagined what I would do with the nations. Why would I ask for the nations. I considered economies and governments. Certainly, I would want them to be ordered of God if I were in charge.
But then I had a different thought. What if I asked for the salvation of the nations. Would He give that? What if I ask to reach the nations with the message of salvation and the good news of God’s love for all people. It was a totally new perspective and I let it marinate for a while. How can I touch the world with salvation? Then I realized, I am already doing many of the things like: supporting missions and sending people on mission trips. Posting a daily blog that feeds a message of encouragement and salvation on the world wide web. Now I am looking for ways to reach not only the world, but also to my neighborhood and town. I am living life beyond me and I hope you will too.
Today I want to encourage you to join me in starting to pray about reaching the world with the gospel message. Ask your heavenly Father for the nations. He is big enough to get them for you. Begin to pray bigger and ask for things beyond your own needs. Ask for opportunities to send people, ask for finances to fund mission in other countries. Ask for the words and faith to talk to others in your daily life about God’s love and provision. Most of all, ask for a willing heart to share to good news whenever the opportunity comes. Expand your world view today from your world to the world!
Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 2
1 Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath and distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree: the Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
The Daily Dose 