Tag: harvest

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Prayers for the workers

people harvesting

When Jesus sent out the seventy-two, he sent them ahead of him into the towns he would later enter to let people know that the kingdom of God was near. Before he sent them he famously said this, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2 ESV). Jesus immediately warned them that he was sending them out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Jesus instructed them to take nothing with them–“no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road” (vs. 4). The reason he instructed them to do so was to rely fully on the “Lord of the harvest.” Oftentimes, we lack workers because people don’t view the spiritual harvest as the Lord’s. They view it as their own, and they are the lords of their own harvest. When we become the lords of our own harvest, we think we don’t need to show up. Or we doubt in our own ability to succeed. Whatever the reason, the result is the same–there cannot be a harvest.

But as soon as we recognize that the harvest is God’s and he is the Lord of the harvest, we begin to work. And we work happily and start seeking other workers. There is every indication that the harvest is plentiful this year. We, too, need to pray for workers to gather up the harvest.

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Gather During Harvest Time

Remember when Jesus prayed for workers because the harvest was plentiful? The lack of workers in the kingdom is an age old problem. Specifically, the church suffers when all hands are not on deck. Proverbs 10:5 ESV says, “He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.” This certainly has spiritual implications too. If we are lazy in the field we will be lazy in “God’s Field.” How can we gather up people who are ripe for the harvest if we don’t work?

To quote a dear church member, “We will only rise to the lowest level of expectations.” In other words, if we expect little of each other, nobody will rise beyond those lowest expectations. Who in their right mind will wear themselves out if nobody else is sharing the work load? This is why Jesus expected much out of his disciples. He didn’t give them the best tools to work with and he certainly didn’t line their pockets with money. But he expected them to work, and to work hard!

Paul, when addressing Christian households, says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward” (Colossians 3:23, 24). This is very much in line with what Jesus said about storing up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves cannot break in and steal. We need to always set the bar high and gather while the harvest is ready. We should be talking to everyone we know about Jesus and gathering them in!

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It’s More Blessed to Give Than to Receive

giving

Paul was a vocational evangelist. He was a tent maker by trade. He often told churches that he intentionally did not seek financial support from them, lest they come back and say he was “robbing” them. Paul worked very hard in everything he did. And he also gave. He gave of his time, money, and heart.

When he was on the beach at Miletus with the Ephesian elders, Paul said, “I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive'” (Acts 20: 35 ESV).

There is an old adage: “You get back what you put in.” This is true of life. The person who works hard gets promoted. The one who gives of her time, money, and energy reaps a crop of righteousness. This doesn’t mean that those who give will be materially wealthy. But it does mean that those blessings will spread and endure. Others will be blessed. Kingdom work will be blessed. The poor will be provided for. They’ll be fed and clothed. The injured will have their wounds dressed and will find healing.

But we have to be willing to give. When we have the means to give, we should be extremely generous. Ultimately, we need to be willing to lay down our lives for others. We need to be giving of our talents, our tithes, and our time. Let’s challenge ourselves to give more and see how God blesses!

Photo by Tom Parsons on Unsplash

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