Picture in your mind a large field of wheat, perfectly ripe and ready for harvest. The wheat crop would be beneficial to so many people in so many ways. It is literally ripe with possibilities.
Picture the lonely figure of a man at the far end of the multi-acre field with a pair of scissors in hand and a canvas bag draped over his shoulder. He begins the overwhelming task of harvesting the wheat in this painfully slow manner.
Fast forward in your mind's eye several weeks into the future. The tired, lonely man has barely made a dent in the vast crop, despite his best efforts with his limited resources. Meanwhile, all around him the ripe crop is beginning to rot and its potential is rapidly being lost.
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (Luke 10:2)
Much done in the name of evangelism is little more than recruiting believers from one church to affiliate with another church. Meanwhile the "lost sheep" remain lost without benefit of hearing the life-saving message that "The kingdom of God has come near to you" (Luke 10:9).
The urgent priority of our Lord is for that which is lost: "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance ... there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:7,10)
It seems that there are some prayers that the Lord is especially eager to answer. Those which focus on reaching his lost people are at the top of the list. He is eager to send laborers out to the harvest, but praying that prayer has inherent risk: He might choose to send us! Those with the full gospel of the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus are prime candidates to be sent.
"Lord, open our eyes to the harvest. Give us a burden for the lost so great that we cannot help but to pray and act. Instill in us your singular purpose for us to make disciples. And give us the boldness and responsiveness to act as You prompt."
Steve
Picture the lonely figure of a man at the far end of the multi-acre field with a pair of scissors in hand and a canvas bag draped over his shoulder. He begins the overwhelming task of harvesting the wheat in this painfully slow manner.
Fast forward in your mind's eye several weeks into the future. The tired, lonely man has barely made a dent in the vast crop, despite his best efforts with his limited resources. Meanwhile, all around him the ripe crop is beginning to rot and its potential is rapidly being lost.
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (Luke 10:2)
Much done in the name of evangelism is little more than recruiting believers from one church to affiliate with another church. Meanwhile the "lost sheep" remain lost without benefit of hearing the life-saving message that "The kingdom of God has come near to you" (Luke 10:9).
The urgent priority of our Lord is for that which is lost: "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance ... there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:7,10)
It seems that there are some prayers that the Lord is especially eager to answer. Those which focus on reaching his lost people are at the top of the list. He is eager to send laborers out to the harvest, but praying that prayer has inherent risk: He might choose to send us! Those with the full gospel of the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus are prime candidates to be sent.
"Lord, open our eyes to the harvest. Give us a burden for the lost so great that we cannot help but to pray and act. Instill in us your singular purpose for us to make disciples. And give us the boldness and responsiveness to act as You prompt."
Steve
posted by steve @ 9:40 AM
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