Prayer for the Harvest
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38)
Jesus had walked through the villages in the region. He was teaching, healing, and restoring those who were afflicted with suffering.[1]
People followed Him. Crowds flocked to catch a glimpse of the great Rabbi, the Healer, and the Restorer.
He looked over the large gathering of people and felt immense compassion. Scripture reads that when Jesus saw them, he saw a people “they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:37). They were in need of intervention, and Jesus knew it.
And He loved them.
This was not an offense to humanity but rather an acknowledgment of the fallen human condition. Without a shepherd, we are vulnerable to attack. We need protection, saving, and leadership.
Jesus, filled with compassion for His beloved creation, turns to His disciples. They were chosen to be leaders not because they were of higher value but simply by an act of grace. They would be the ones Jesus would raise up to care for this flock. Though God is the Good Shepherd [2] the disciples would tend to a flock of their own.[3]
Jesus said to them:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”[4]
Did you catch that? Jesus was telling them of the setting they found themselves in and the primary area of need.
The harvest refers to the group of people who would one day come to Christ. They would be hungry for the Gospel and accept it. Then, they would be introduced to the truth. And they would become the flock of the Great Shepherd.
Until that day, there would be a great hope that the fields are white for harvest. Even when society seems dim, and it appears that few people re looking for truth, we can be encouraged with these words. There is still work for us to do.
However, there was one need emphasized by Christ. “the laborers are few” (Matt. 9:37). The people who would work the fields were few.
There were many roles that contribute to working in the fields. Some people would toil on the ground. Plant the seed, water the earth, and harvest the fields.
In this instance, these are people who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, gather the harvest. They go into the world and awaken those who were sleeping as a vessel. People who would rise and not be content to simply be fed, but rather to actively participate in the kingdom. These are the laborers.
And they are few. But why? Simply put, an immense amount of courage is required of them. They will walk into the unknown, hand in hand with the living God. They have forfeited their plans in exchange for the will of the Father. They submit to the Father out of love because there is true freedom, healing, and love found in following the ultimate Creator of human life and acknowledging Him as the authority. They may be in full-time vocational ministry, bi-vocational, a homemaker, or a light in various, much-needed occupations. Their contexts vary, their areas of the field look different, and their giftings are unique. Regardless, they are the children of God, teachers of the Word, servants of the Most High God, working within the kingdom.
This leads to the one aspect Jesus instructed the disciples to pray for, and in turn, we ought to take heed to this instruction:
“pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out the laborers into the harvest.”[5]
This is the area of need.
Often, in the world’s standards, the “laborers” are doing fine. They seem to have a pretty decent standard of morality and are walking on the straight and narrow. But prayer is needed. When God is raising up a leader, the enemy tends to not like it.
As we have covered (click here), prayer is powerful and beautiful. It is a gift and privilege to us that we may draw close to God, to the throne of grace.
So we pray that they would rise up. We pray they will not back down once they have been called. We pray they will not look back from the plow. We pray they would not walk with the burden of perfection but be carried by the arms of grace. We pray they will love without counting the cost. We pray they would walk in a manner worthy of the calling they have received. And we pray they would walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, who called them by name.
We pray they will awaken and never back down.
Blessings,
[1] Matthew 9:35
[2] Psalm 23
[3] 1 Peter 5:1-11
[4] Matthew 9:37-38
[5] Matthew 9:38