Glorify God Among the Nations

The theme for the 2026 National Day of Prayer is “Glorify God Among the Nations, Seeking Him in All Generations.” The National Day of Prayer website says this theme is “inspired by” 1 Chronicles 16. So, the obvious question for me was, well, what does 1 Chronicles 16 have to say about this?

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (1 Chronicles 16:8-11)

There’s far more in the chapter that is well worth reading and meditating on, but let’s just consider those four verses for a moment. If you will indulge me, I want to give a very practical real-word example of proclaiming God’s name, and revealing to the nations what He has done.

One of our great joys at the John Ankerberg Show has been the opportunity to work alongside Faith Comes By Hearing to provide Audio Bibles in the heart language of the people to those who cannot (for whatever reason) benefit from a printed Bible. Over the past dozen years we have received constant reports of the absolute, overwhelming joy expressed by people who discover, “God speaks my language!”

But let’s back up to an Old Testament event when people were exposed to God’s law, many for the first time in their lives. You may recall the story from 2 Kings 23. Here’s what happened.

“Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.” (2 Kings 23:1-3, emphasis added)
That same thing is happening today all around the world as people hear God’s Word spoken to them. But for them, hearing is not enough. Time after time they relate how they are compelled to take God’s Word to relatives in other areas. And the response is remarkable.

Uganda: The village chief travels with a local partner to visit neighboring communities. He often explains and demonstrates how to use the device to hear the Word of God. In the nearest church to this village, which takes 30 minutes to reach by car, they now hold extra services to meet the demand of hungry hearts, because listening to God’s Word has ignited a desire for Bible teaching and corporate worship.

Nepal: A worker was exposed to God’s Word while working on a house. Initially, he paid little attention, but as the Audio Bible continued to play, he listened more intently. By the end of the project, he asked the homeowner what he needed to do to be saved. The lady of the house reached out to a field worker and asked him to come and pray with Nabin. Nabin accepted Christ and, in time, brought his entire family to church, where they are all learning about the Lord together.

Mali: A woman became convinced that it was important to spend quality time listening to God’s Word. She recognized that as she listened she was strengthened and encouraged in the Christian faith. She testified, “We cannot remain on the sidelines, refusing to make a firm commitment to follow Jesus. Either you are a Christian or you are not. When I listened to Revelation 3, which says that our God does not appreciate our lukewarmness, I understood that we are either hot or cold. I am resolved to serve the Lord well and devote myself to serve in the church as a faithful member of God’s family.”

Nigeria: A man reports, “Scripture taught me to pray with confidence, using it as the foundation for every request I bring before God. Through this encounter with His Word, I’ve made new choices that shape my walk with Christ. I’m resolved to resist sinning, to live in a way that honors God, and to stay accountable through daily confession. This decision has drawn me closer to Jesus and filled my heart with peace.

Around the world people of many different languages, tribes, and nations are glorifying God as a result of hearing His Word. For us here in the United States, God’s Word is readily available. Chances are good you have at least one copy in your house right now. You probably also have a Bible app of some sort on your smartphone, giving you immediate and unlimited access to the Word of God.

That brings up some important questions:

1. Are you taking advantage of your easy access to become familiar not only with God’s written word, but with the God who is behind it?

2. What are you doing to ensure that the nations can hear and respond? What are you doing to facilitate the nations glorifying God for who and what He is?

Sing to the Lord, all the earth;  proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods….

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;  gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.” Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

(1 Chronicles 16:23-25, 34-36)