Our God is Global!!

A wonderful, simple (but not actually) realization that I have come to lately is that our God is a global God! In America, it is so easy to get stuck in our "American Christian bubble". I used to think things like ... "Sure, God hears and understands other languages, but his first language is English" ... "He likes when we sing worship songs in English to him" ... My God is no such God. He is a God of EVERY language and he is praised and worshiped in millions of other languages and many others peoples, not just English speaking Americans. I know that this is not a profound thought that no one has ever talked about or thought of, but it has hit me hard lately.

Last night Erik and I went to a conference in Jakarta. There was an Indian speaker by the name of Ravi Zacharias and there was also a worship team there that is very popular in Indonesia. As we sat in a stadium full of many different people (mostly believers, but some not I'm sure) I was overwhelmed by my God's global presence in that place. As we sang and prayed in Bahasa Indonesia I could not hold back my tears as I dwelt on the fact that God knows exactly what is being said and thought. We sang an English song that the worship leader wrote called "Hosanna". We basically sang these words over and over again for about 10 minutes .. "Hosanna in the highest. Let our King be lifted up. Hosanna!" I didn't get that on video .. but I did get some of the worship. It definitely won't have the impact that it did being there, but maybe you can get a little taste of God's reign! :)

I LOVE the fact that my God is a global God. I LOVE worshiping with other believers (there is especially something about worshiping him with people who aren't American). I LOVE how my God is present EVERYWHERE!

My prayer is that I would remember the presence and power of our global God. Most importantly, I pray that I would come more and more to the realization that my "Christian walk" is SO not about ME. It is about God, and it is about others coming to know God. God doesn't only love Americans - he wants us all to come to know him - that's the kind of god I am glad that I serve!

The Newsboys put it perfectly:

God of all nations
Lord of creation
It's in the bonds of love we meet
We come together at Your feet

Equal in Your sight
Made one by Your might
You've called us to restore Your lands
And place them back within Your hands

So tonight
Be glorified
Be magnified
As every nation lifts You high
Oh, Father, tonight
It's our desire
To see Your kingdom shine
On earth as in heaven tonight

God of all nations
Lord of creation
Your purpose is our hope, our bread
All You've planned and all You've said

Lord of the heavens
Lord of the ages
The church You build shall never fail
No gate or border will prevail

Tonight
Be glorified
Lifted up high
It's our desire
So tonight
Be glorified
Lifted up high
It's our desire
Oh, Father, tonight
It's our desire
You're magnified
Lifted up high

All be glorified