Solomon Prayed for God to Answer the Prayers of Foreigners

In his prayer dedicating the Jerusalem Temple, King Solomon recognized it as extending the promise God had made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God’s intention is to include all people in steadfast love, so Solomon prayed in 1 Kings 8:42-43, “When a foreigner comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you.” We who follow Jesus recognize no distinction between nationalities, races, genders, classes for all are one in Christ. (Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28) This is not limited to those who share our faith in Christ but included even those who would consider us to be enemies, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 and Paul affirmed in Romans 12:14-21. By extending the love of Christ toward those who are different than we are, perhaps even feared or despised by some, we begin now to experience what we anticipate when we will gather with those from every tribe and language and people and nation around the Throne singing praise to Christ. (Revelation 5:9)

This is not to say that differences of culture, ethnicity, background, etc. don't matter but they are not to disrupt either Christian unity or our common humanity as we live out the love of Christ.