The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye, therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would sent forth laborers into his harvest.
Luke 10:2
Pray for the harvest, said Jesus. Why would we have to pray for the laborers to be sent forth? Jesus states we pray because there are few laborers. Why would there be few laborers? I always wondered about the reality of the truth in what Jesus was saying not only to the disciples, but the seventy who went out into the harvest field. These appointed seventy whom the Lord choose went out two by two together and not by themselves into the cities. Jesus told them to heal the sick and say, “the kingdom of God is near unto you,” [see Luke 10:9]. Is the kingdom of God near you?
Let’s step back and look closely at what it means to pray for the laborers into his harvest. Notice first of all, it is the Lord’s harvest and not our own. Why? Because the foundation is Jesus according to the grace, we each are given by God. Everything is done by faith in Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God is near you because he sent his only Son to be our sacrifice for sins. We must believe that what is said is the truth. It begins with witnessing the works of God. I can testify because I have seen this in action not only in my own life but in the life of others. It begins with a willingness to surrender our lives to the Lord and being able to converse with the Lord through prayer. To commune with the Lord and the father in fellowship.
It is the cry of Andrew Murry who was a missionary sent to South Africa that all Christians would understand the importance of prayer for communion in the spirit with God. To seek every day the calling for prayer and have that closeness in the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Read pastor Murry’s book titled, “With Christ on the School of Prayer,” lesson nine where Murry states, “they must cry to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers.” That is to pray with strong emotion and believe that it will be done. You can download a PDF of his book here With Christ on the School of Prayer. There is no form or showmanship when it comes to God’s work in the harvest field. God will work in churches where prayer and the Holy Spirit have free reign in a believer’s life. There is no competition among different denominations, and rightly so, because we are all laborers together with God.
For we are laborers together with God; ye are God’s cultivated field, ye are God’s building.”
1 Corinthians 3:9
There is no sectarianism when it comes to the work of the Lord. There should be no excessive attachment to a denomination or political party within the church as we are seeing today, for this takes our focus away from Christ. As the apostle Paul told the Corinthians, so does paster Murry state that every believer is a laborer for Christ. We are God’s cultivated field. How amazing is that? To think that you are being cultivated by the Holy Spirit to do good works for the Lord. Many Christians know not that they are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God is dwelling within them. [see 1 Corinthians 3:16]. We carry with us the promised Holy Spirit who is our comforter. As Christians we are never alone. Prayer is essential in that it invokes God to action. Let’s remember the words of Jesus himself who said, “my food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” [see John 4:34]. Whose work are we finishing? Are we doing the will of the Father?
We should think about God’s glory and not our own. We pray because of the great need we see in the world and in our own individual lives. We pray to receive divine intervention and to see the glory of the Lord. We pray for conformation of the word of God with signs and wonders to take place. We pray for God’s witness in our very being in that we belong to Christ and now bear his image. This is full surrender to the Lord.
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.”
Hebrews 2:4
According to his own will, that is God’s will for your own life. The Holy Spirit will bring conviction into our lives as to where we stand in the specific moment of our life. We must be willing and be open to hear and listen to the word spoken in the Bible. Every Christian has a part in the Lord’s harvest. Just look at what Jesus said in the Gospel of John.
Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathered fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
John 4:35-36
Let us rejoice together for the sower and reaper. We are all laborers together with God in Christ Jesus. Have you heard the hymn by Knowles Shaw titled, “Bringing in the Sheaves?”
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain:
Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Let us sow seeds of kindness, love, and peace, sowing for the Master. Let us pray and believe for the laborers.
