Jesus saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion for them and said to His disciples, “The harvest is truly plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”(Matt 9:37-38)

The Enduring Words sheds light on the magnitude of this prayer we are to pray—

We are to pray that the Lord would send out laborers: “Now the Greek is much more forcible, it is that he would push them forward, and thrust them out; it is the same word which is used for the expulsion of a devil from a man possessed. It takes great power to drive a devil out, it will need equal power from God to drive a minister out to his work.” (Spurgeon)

And this work is no small task—

“The householder hath somewhat to do, the magistrate more, but the minister most of all. He labours more in a day many times, than the husbandman does in a month. The sweat of the brow is nothing to that of the brain; the former furthers health, the latter impairs it, wearying and wearing out the body, wasting the vitals, and hastening old age and untimely death.” (Luther, cited in Trapp) (Enduring Word App)

And with this, I might decide I need to get a pastor appreciation gift (as our pastors do deserve MUCH appreciation).

However, the workers in this passage are not just vocational ministers (though we should certainly pray for the Lord to raise up these men) but these “laborers for the harvest” are to be all of us.

You and me.

The fields around us are ripe with the sick , the weary, and the lonely that Jesus has just been talking about.

Do we see them?

Are we moving towards them in truth and love, or are we to busy with the cares of this world? (Luke 21:34)

For most Christians, it’s not that we are blinded by sin or even selfishness when it comes to the harvest around us. No, it’s that we are just so busy and distracted that we often don’t pause to engage others for the cause of Christ.

One thing that has helped me is to pray and ask the Lord to help me see eternal moments in the day, and to set aside my list, to do His will.

I also ask Him to anoint my tongue, and not just when I’m sharing from a stage but in everyday conversations.

I believe He has let me see Him at work in some everyday holy moments and it’s truly a blessing to my soul. It’s spurred me on and grown my faith. I’m forever convinced that “better is one day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere” (Psalm 84:10).

One day walking in His will and His way is better than a thousand we could spend going our own way with only our purposes in mind. It’s just true. It will bless others and us!

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