Nations as Inheritance?!

How?

Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. —Psalm 2:8 (NIV)

Since my husband and I returned from volunteering for two weeks at a Christian Adventure Camp in Glorieta, NM, this verse has rattled around in my brain. God provided an opportunity for us to interact with summer international folks (“nations”), mostly university students, as they worked at the camp. Have our interactions with them become part of our inheritance—something valuable we have and then pass on?

While we certainly didn’t “possess” them, we felt drawn into their stories and into their lives as we navigated our language differences.

First, Miguel, studying pharmacy and biomedical research, is an only child (as am I). He calls his life “complicated” since he was raised by a single mother. I had (wrongly) assumed that his experience would have been like mine: that he could have what he wanted/needed because he had no siblings to share resources. Instead, he struggles with knowing he is valued by God.

Also, Raul and Celia live in a small town outside of the university city. They do not want to attend the traditional cathedral but crave fellowship of like-minded, younger Christians. They have no transportation to the larger city with more church options and feel isolated from Christian fellowship that I take for granted in our heavily “churched” community.

Then the grounds guys: Isaac, Antonio, and Emil said that because they are Mexican, they are Catholic. But no one in their families attends church.

And others: Diego who is seeking how to help people. Nacho who is trying to understand why there are so many divisions among people and wants to try to find common ground. Emiliano who comes from a family of doctors and is studying to be a doctor as well, has questions about the Bible.

Indeed, the staff we met I consider part of our God-given inheritance…a treasure that we will cherish and pray for in the days to come. Perhaps we will pass them along to others for prayer and encouragement. And perhaps one day they will join us in singing praises to our Savior and Lord before His throne.

Who from the nations is your inheritance? Who has God placed in your life that needs His touch through you?

(Photo by Dimas R. Pratama at unsplash)