41 “Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to [s]fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that [t]this house which I have built is called by Your name.
44 “When Your people go out to battle against [u]their enemy, by whatever way You shall send them, and they pray to the Lord [v]toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their [w]cause.
46 “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that [x]they take them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near; 47 if they [y]take thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’; 48 if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name; 49 then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Your dwelling place, and maintain their [z]cause, 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought forth from Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace), 52 that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 For You have separated them from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, as You spoke through Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers forth from Egypt, O Lord [aa]God.”
I love the first part here, where Solomon says “for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand…” Well, how in the world will they hear? Because people will be talking about how great God is, and the word will spread. Am I? Are you?
Now, I’m not just talking about us going out and talking about Jesus non-stop. Part of this, a big part even, is people seeing God work in the lives of His children. The nation of Israel at this time was the talk of all the nations, thus Solomon’s reference. It wasn’t that they were going out to other countries and telling them all about God. It was the word of mouth from foreigners who had seen God’s goodness to the Israelites.
And so it should be with us, our lives should be evidence of His greatness, but they can only be that if we let Him change us from the inside out. A changed life, walking as a child of the King, will be something worth talking about. So be a child of God, seek after Him daily, do not forget who you are, let His love into your life, and love Him back with all your heart.