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PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SPREAD THE WORD: PLENTIFUL HARVEST
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Matthew 9:37-38 “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask, the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field”.[/perfectpullquote]My first Air Force assignment was Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. I had no idea what I was in for. After completing my indoctrination, I was assigned to one of our 3 missile wings. We covered half of North Dakota. Lot’s and lot’s of farmer fields, and stuck in the midst, were Titan Missiles.
The primary crop in N. Dakota is potatoes. At night, huge trucks are out harvesting potatoes. The harvest was always plentiful. Just as Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 9. I can only assume, there were plenty of laborers.
At the end of Matthew 9, Jesus mentions two things we need to do with urgency. The first is to pray! Notice, Jesus doesn’t say, “Here’s the harvest, now go!, Instead, He says, “Here’s the harvest, now pray.” I sometimes find myself going, forgetting to pray. Ambition can be a valuable trait. Without praying before setting out can be hazardous. I know!
Have you felt the “call” to the mission field? It’s part of the churches mission, to send out workers, people to leave.. on mission. Jim Elliot, the missionary to the Auca Indians of Peru, said “Our young men are going into other fields because they don’t ‘feel called’ to the mission field. We don’t need a call; we need a kick in the pants.”
As Jesus was going throughout all the cities, He had compassion for the crowds. He saw the helplessness of those in need, leading to Him asking the disciples to pray. How’s your compassion meter this days? The past 3 months, we’ve been witness to many demonstrating compassion. My brother works in an assisted living facility, where he shows compassion each and every day. He feels this is his “calling”. The New Testament, admonishes us to have compassion.
Paul lists many attributes for the believer. Prayer is one of them. Jesus, too exhorts us, as Matthew 9 concludes to pray. It should be a staple of our daily walk, an example to the lost sheep. Hope for the aligning, and fearful believer. To pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest, is just as necessary today, as it was then. Are you praying earnestly?
– Tom Dye
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