Devotion:
Read Matthew 9:35-38.
As Jesus traveled about, healing, teaching, and preaching the Good News, he was moved by the sheer number of persons who were living like sheep without a shepherd. This stirred him to ask his disciples to pray for more workers who might join him in the harvest. Jesus spoke from a deep connection with the people and the land. I grew up on a farm, and there were times in the late summer when the plants were grown, the fruit was ripening, and the time for harvest was coming. There was always a sense of urgency in preparing for the harvest, whether it was gathering the hay, corn, wheat, or whatever. The urgency came from the fact that the fruit of our labor would soon ripen and be ready for harvesting over a fairly short period of time; and if not harvested, the fruit or produce would soon decay or become unusable in other ways. As harvest time approached, it was time for “all hands on deck.”
Jesus’ call for prayer and preparation sends the clear message to us today that Jesus could not reach all the people by himself, and he needed workers then and needs workers now to help. In the very next verses in Chapter 10, he sends the twelve to join the harvest. This is a clear call for us to join in the harvest of seeking and nurturing others.
Personal Worship Option:
As you pray today, reflect on how the world today is filled with people without a shepherd. As Christ asks, pray for more workers who will go outside the church and into the community and their places of work and school to help others find Christ. Ask God to lead you into places of harvest as well and be open to God’s leading.
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