Series: Blessed Be
Psalm 33:12 ESV
While universal statements can be discouraged due to the misuse of the full context there are great exceptions, especially in scripture.
The thing is that in scripture universal statements are actually promises from the heart of God.
Psalm 33:12 tells us, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!”
In other words, the people from the nation that believe and receive God as Lord ARE chosen as God’s heritage.
As a small example, when I was young I knew everyone in my family had a church. They weren’t all the same kind of church, but everyone had a church.
I thought every family had a church or churches and everyone had their own church.
As I grew older (much older) and my friends knew where I went to church, I would ask where they went to church. Some of them even said no one in their family went to church. So I asked them if their grandparents went to church and they said they did not.
I was shocked.
That was the first time I realized families had different beliefs and practices and my family was unusual. Most of my friends said some people went to church in their family but not everyone.
They were surprised that all of my great-grandparents believed in Jesus and went to church.
I knew that all of my grandparents from my Mother’s side and from my Father’s side went to church and I was able to tell them what kind of church they attended.
In time I came to realize that my parents made a choice when they married.
They chose to marry someone who came from a family that had a faith tradition.
As a result when I was older (out of high school) and was dating I determined I wanted to marry someone who grew up going to church.
All of my children made the same decision.
There are times when we make intentional decisions based on our family history.
Now…fifty years ago it was a ‘given’ belief in my country that we were “one nation under God.”
According to uscode.house.gov on October 27, 2024 those words are still spoken today (https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title4-section4&num=0&edition=prelim).
That means that everyone born in my country, and everyone who migrates to my country take the same pledge that uses the same verbiage.
While I know there are people who question those words, it is still the pledge we take as citizens of this country.
We are ‘called’ a free country.
No one I know disputes that. Even if they define our kind of government using different words, they can do that.
My point is this…every country is somewhat different in their focus and definition. However, according to quora.com there are 4 billion people on the planet who worship God. That is about half the population of people on earth.
According to www.usnews.com the countries listed as being in the top 5 that believe in God are Switzerland, Japan, United States, Canada, and Australia.
As we look back to Psalm 33:12 a percentage of believers is not given as a criteria.
What is stated is that the people whose God is the Lord will be blessed.
Without getting bogged down in statistics, we look to God for the answer. I for one am grateful for that. I learned a long time go that God is GOD and I am not.
What we can rely on is that no matter where we live and whatever they believe, when we personally turn to God we will be seen and heard.
We also note that the absolute best way to spread the Good News about God is by loving others.
When we care enough to be the “hands and feet” of Jesus we are spreading the good news.
For some of us that means offering to pray for others who are in distress. For others that means giving someone a meal. Some give a blanket that will keep them warm on a cold night. We are all different and God calls us to utilize the gifts we have been given.
So, wherever you live…
Whatever you believe…
However you respond…
Spread the love of God around.
Spiritual Practice: Spread God’s Love
Ask God to show you how to spread God’s love around today.
In God, Deborah
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