Is God’s love a zero sum? To bless us does he have to deprive others? Why does God bless his people today? One way to look at God’s blessings is to see them as God’s gift for our exclusive benefit. On the other hand, we might see God’s blessings to us as an opportunity to share with others. Our love for our own people should never stand in the way of loving others.
Going back to Abraham in Genesis 12, we discover that God blessed him so that he might be a blessing to the nations. When Solomon dedicated the temple, Israel assembled before him. King Solomon blessed them and then he prayed a powerful prayer of praise giving thanks for God’s provision for his people. Solomon then prayed for the foreigners in their midst. Solomon asked God to answer their prayers when they prayed to him. As a result, the foreigners would come to know God by name and fear him.
The Old Testament gives us a picture of God’s heart for all people. God wanted Israel to show his love to the nations so they might also believe. We see this in Isaiah 56:1-8, for example. God desired for his house to be a house of prayer for all people. Jesus used these very words when he cleansed the temple. Again in the New Testament, John wrote, “For God so loved the world . . .” (John 3:16). This is such good news for a Gentile like me. How does God’s inclusive love shape us today? As we give thanks for God’s love for us, we remember that he loves others as well. God can love all of us and each of us without ever diminishing his love. There is enough to go around.
