"All nice people. I hope to see them all in the future and pray their lives are blessed and that they are saved. Lord please send laborers across their paths to water the seeds and reap where we have sown."
Jesus saw people and his heart ached for them. He wept over Jerusalem and often the Bible says He was moved with compassion for them. Now we carry His Spirit within our hearts and we are becoming more like Him every day. That means that the heart He had we now have in us. That heart is for people.
It can be overwhelming when you see the needs all around. Statistics and news reports paint a bleak picture of the current conditions. But if we are going to actually be productive with the burden we carry for others we have to look past ourselves and past the natural. We have to look to the Lord of the Harvest.
When Jesus saw the people coming out to meet him he saw them as harvest fields that were ready to be reaped. He then turned to His disciples and told them there was a problem. The harvest is ripe but the laborers are few. A problem indeed! What are we to do with that? He gives us the answer in His next instructions to His disciples when He says to them to pray the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers.
We all have a part in helping someone on the journey. We all would love to be the one reaping. At least I know I like that part. You seal the deal and feel good about what was done. You know someone is now headed for Heaven and eternity with Jesus because of your efforts or words.
But what if we are called in someones journey to plant a seed. It is tougher to do. Many times sowing seed is met with opposition. There are periods of silence. You don't see what is going on beneath the surface. Sometimes our job is to water. You may see signs of growth but there is still skepticism. These jobs are tough.
The Lord know where people are at and there will come a time when the harvest is ready. If you keep reading the story what happened after Jesus told His disciples to pray for laborers you will find he sends them out to do ministry right afterward. Think of it this way, they became the answer to their prayers. When you have a heart for people and pray that God moves and sends an answer you very well could be that answer He is sending. What an awesome thought!
Have you ever been the answer to your own prayers? How do you identify where people are at on their journey?
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