Hope, cast wide

"and the earth shall be filled with the Lord's salvation,
Hope of every nation."
--- Boe and Overby

Maybe my favorite thing about Jesus' story? Its expansive reach. Up to the time of Jesus' birth, the people of Israel had related to their God in much the same way other tribes, or nations, had related to theirs. A local god, a household god, concerned with the day-to-day affairs of that particular people. There were prophetic words here and there about something to come from Israel to be "a light for all nations," but these words were so easy to ignore among so many others. The God of Israel was for the people of Israel, and would not extend himself on behalf of other peoples, went the thinking.
Then came Jesus, upsetting the natural order, loving the whole world. For perhaps the first time, minds were confronted with the idea of boundless love. Suddenly the concept of scarcity did not apply to God's care and concern; it would not run short, even when poured out for the whole world.
What a hopeful thought: there is no scarcity in God, no reason to grasp or hoard the favor of God. Let us prepare ourselves for hope, cast wide.