Tag: Lord of the Harvest

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Matthew Devotionals

A prayer to the Lord of the Harvest

Hopeless people

When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38)

Lord of the Harvest, who are the distressed and dejected around me? Who are those living without hope?

Open my eyes. Help me to see beyond the surface to the need as you did. Give me your compassion. And send me out into the harvest.

May I be a giver of hope to those without hope, proclaiming your forgiveness, salvation, and your love. (Matthew 9:2, 22)

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Categories
Matthew Devotionals

Kicked out of our comfort zones

Matthew

Today I read a passage very familiar to me.

When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38)

Two things struck me that I had never thought of before. Matthew says that the people were distressed and dejected like sheep without a shepherd.

The words “distressed and dejected” have the idea of being torn and cast down.

As I thought of that image, I then recalled what Jesus had said to the Pharisees earlier in the chapter.

Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. (13)

Many of the sheep the shepherds raised in Israel were meant to be used as sacrifices. But in Jesus’ eyes, these torn and cast down sheep were not just meant for the sacrificial altar.

Jesus had a heart filled with compassion for these sheep and he longed to show mercy to them. To care for them. To heal their wounds.

And that’s what he did.

But living as a man on earth, there was a limit to what he could do.

And so he sent out his disciples to reach out to the mass of lost sheep scattered throughout Israel. And then he sent 72 more people out so that they could reach even more sheep.

But before doing so, he told his disciples to pray that God would send out more workers.

That word “send” is a very interesting one. It literally means, “drive out.” It’s the word that is often used for driving out demons.

Interestingly enough, it’s the same word that is used for the Holy Spirit driving Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted.

And here, Jesus says, “Pray to the Lord of the harvest that he would drive more workers out into the harvest field.”

It’s what God did with the early church when they got too comfortable doing “church” in Jerusalem.

Jesus had told them to go out into the whole world and preach the gospel. They hadn’t even gotten as far as Samaria yet. Many of them were still stuck in Jerusalem.

So God used persecution to drive them out of Jerusalem. The result? They started sharing the gospel everywhere they went. (Acts 8:1-4).

Is it possible that God needs to do that to his people again?

How many of us, (and I include myself in this), are far too comfortable with our lives? How many of us lack the compassion for the torn and cast down as Jesus was?

Lord of the harvest, drive out more workers out of their comfort zones and into the harvest field. Give them your heart.

Give me your heart. Here am I. Send me.

Categories
Luke Luke 10

Ask…then go!

Luke

In this passage, we see Jesus not only sending out the 12 disciples, but 72 others. And he gives them pretty much the same instructions that he had given the 12 when he first sent them out.

But it’s the first few verses that strike me. First he told them something he had said before. He said,

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. (Luke 10:2)

Meaning, of course, that there are many people out there that are ready to hear the gospel and would believe if only we had enough workers to go out and reach them.

So Jesus said, “Pray. Pray that God would send people out.”

But Jesus doesn’t stop by saying, “Pray.” He immediately tells them, “Go! I am sending you out…” (Luke 10:3)

And he tells us the same. Certainly, he wants us to pray for more workers. But he wants to start with you. He wants you to hear his call and go out to reach those around you.

Sometimes, as we go out, we fear rejection. But Jesus reminds us,

He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. (Luke 10:16)

In other words, remember that if they reject your message, they are not really rejecting you, they are rejecting me. So don’t lose heart. And remember also that there will be those who will listen and be saved.

He then encourages us by saying,

Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Luke 10:23-24)

For so long, people like Moses, David, Daniel, and others longed to see the kingdom of God come with power. And now, with Christ’s coming, we have that opportunity to see it come into the lives of the people around us.

But we will never see it unless we go out. If we do, however, we will see his kingdom come with power in the lives of those who believe.

So don’t just pray…go!

Categories
Matthew Matthew 9

Seeing the harvest

Planting seeds

Lots of things to see in this passage.

Jesus went. He went out to preach the good news, to touch, and to heal those who were hurting.

Jesus saw. So many times we see people, but we don’t really see them. Maybe we’re too wrapped up in our own thoughts, our own lives, or our own agendas. And so fail to really see the people we come into contact with.

Other times, we see them but only see the outside. How they look. How they act. But we fail to see the hurt and utter need in their hearts. But Jesus saw all these things.

Jesus had compassion. He not only went and saw, but his heart went out to them.

He had compassion on them as he saw all the chains that Satan had bound them with. He had compassion on them as he saw how Satan was constantly harassing them.

And as they wandered around completely lost, not knowing the path of life, his heart ached for them.

As disciples of Jesus, this is how we should be. Going out. Seeing. Showing compassion.

Jesus exhorted his disciples, pled with his disciples,

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. (Matthew 9:37-38)

There’s an old song I love from the Imperials (anyone still remember them?) that I always think of as I read this passage.

It says,

See the fields,
Ripe and white as snow,
Up from the seeds of faith we planted long ago.

So many the hearts in season,
With every prayer they’ve grown.
He has made them ready,
But we must bring them home.

Time like a free wind,
So quickly slips away.
Too soon today’s tomorrow,
Too soon a yesterday.

So little time for the reaping,
And laborers are few,
Lift your heads to the fields of white,
The work that we must do.

Lord of the Harvest,
Place your fire in me.
Servant you need now,
Servant I will be.

Give me the eyes of your Spirit,
Your heart of compassion to know,
Lord of the Harvest,
Show me where to go.

Wherever you may lead me,
Lord of the Harvest,
Lord of the Harvest, I’ll go.

–Paul Smith, James Newton Howard