1 Kings 8:37-43: a reflection

37“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own heart, and spread out his hands toward this house, 39then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men); 40that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers. 41“Moreover, concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he comes out of a far country for your name’s sake 42(for they shall hear of your great name and of your mighty hand and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.

In his great prayer at the dedication of the temple, Solomon prays not only for his own people, but for the foreigner. When a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country because of your name, and prays toward this house, hear him, Solomon prays; do for him all that he asks, that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you. Solomon's vision was not narrow; he prayed that God would welcome and hear even the outsider who came seeking him.

Notice the breadth of Solomon's prayer: it included the foreigner, the outsider, the one not of God's people. The temple was not to be only for Israel; Solomon prayed that God would hear the foreigner who came seeking him, and grant his requests, so that all peoples might come to know God. His heart, in this prayer, reached beyond his own people to the outsider, longing that they too would come to know and fear God. God's welcome was not to be limited to insiders.

That breadth reflects God's own heart for the outsider, and is worth taking to heart. God's welcome is not limited to those already his people; he receives the foreigner, the outsider, the one who comes seeking him from far off. Solomon prayed that God would hear even such, and God's heart, fully revealed in Christ, reaches to all peoples. Do not think of God's welcome as narrow, reserved only for insiders; he receives the outsider who comes seeking him, as Solomon prayed he would. And let this shape your own heart toward outsiders: long, as Solomon longed, that they too would come to know God, and welcome those who come seeking him, rather than treating God's welcome as a narrow thing for insiders only. God receives the foreigner who seeks him; let your heart be as wide as his, reaching toward the outsider with the welcome God himself extends to all who come seeking him.

Lord, in his prayer at the temple's dedication, Solomon prayed not only for his own people, but for the foreigner: when an outsider comes from a far country because of your name and prays toward this house, hear him, that all peoples may know your name and fear you. Show me the breadth of that prayer, and your own heart for the outsider. Your welcome is not limited to those already your people; you receive the foreigner, the outsider, the one who comes seeking you from far off. Solomon prayed that you would hear even such, and your heart, fully revealed in Christ, reaches to all peoples. Keep me from thinking of your welcome as narrow, reserved only for insiders; you receive the outsider who comes seeking you, as Solomon prayed you would. And let this shape my own heart toward outsiders: help me long, as Solomon longed, that they too would come to know you, and welcome those who come seeking you, rather than treating your welcome as a narrow thing for insiders only. You receive the foreigner who seeks you; let my heart be as wide as yours, Lord, reaching toward the outsider with the welcome you extend to all who come seeking you.