PRAY…THE LORD…SEND FORTH LABOURERS

The Lord had turned His face to Jerusalem. Soon He would present Himself to the nation as their King. He knew they would reject Him and slay Him, but He would rise again accomplishing the mission that His Father had sent Him to do. On His way to Jerusalem He would pass through many of the towns and villages. Would any receive Him? The Lord sent out seventy men into those villages to tell them, ‘the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you’, Luke 10. 9. The number of sent ones compared with the population of the cities was small indeed. There were so few men and the harvest was so great. Another disadvantage they had was they were like lambs - defenceless among wolves ready to devour. What were the chances of success? And, again, they were to go with no visible means of support - no shoes or script, or purse. This seems so senseless and yet this is what the Lord commanded.

But they returned with joy having seen the Lord work through them, Luke 10. 17. It seems they were overwhelmed with the power demonstrated in their lives as they preached the coming of the King and saw the demons subject unto them.

But, after His resurrection, the Lord sent His disciples into the whole world and not just Israel. They again were going to be so few in the face of a large world. They were not the rich and famous, ‘not... wise men after the flesh, not... mighty, not... noble ... But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise’, 1 Cor. 1. 26-27.

The disciples are still few in number compared with the world’s population. The Lord has called all of us to work for Him in the great harvest. ‘Go... and teach all nations’ is still the call of the Master. But the labourers are still few and the work so great that none of us can shirk our responsibilities. All are called to speak for Him; all called to be ‘full-time workers’, no matter how the Lord chooses to supply our material needs. The harvest is so great and the coming of the Lord is so near. One day when we see Him it will be wonderful to recount how we saw Him work in and through our lives for His glory. Then, will our joy be full and we will be glad we did our part.