Truer than We Realize

Luke 10:2 (ESV) And he 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.

Did you see the word after pray?  "EARNESTLY"

Don't half-heartedly hope that God will send workers to do the mission of world evangelism.  Pray.  And not just pray!  PRAY HARD for workers.  We need more preachers!

One commentator put it like this: "Prayer for preachers is Christ’s method for increasing the supply."

I'm a Pastor.  I know this to be true first hand.  The people who actually step up to the work in the church are few and far between. They say 20% of an average church does 80% of the work.  I really think that's very accurate.

Why?

Some simply see the church as a need-meeting organization.  Help me when I'm down and pick me up when I fall.  I could really use some encouragement today.  Should we encourage each other?  Sure, but not so we can "feel better", but so that we can "work better!"  Maybe we false send the message that the Lord's Church is simply a structural "get-well card" for the sick.  Yes, we want the sick, but we don't want them to stay sick!  We need them healed so they can turn toward other sick people and say follow me as I follow Christ.

Perhaps for some the reason is we just think it will get done. Perhaps too much focus on the Sovereignty of god makes us think "He'll sort it all out, what difference does it make?"  I had a conversation with a strong Reformed guy today.  Fresh out of Seminary he's got his accademia down.  Yes, he knows the Lord is the one who calls, sustains, strengthens, and seals us until the day of our redemption.  He knows the Lord chooses and elects unto salvation whomever He wills.

I've been in the Seminary classes myself.  I've watched the lecturer carefully choose the scriptures to support his claim.  Then i read the Bible and I wonder about this verse and that verse... how many times I see the heart of Jesus longing for those who are lost.

Does God elect?  Of course.  We cannot argue that point.  But we must not let it talk us out of doing the work God requires!  PRAY HARD for MORE WORKERS.  Help wanted!  Help needed!  There's a big work God is doing in the world.  The harvest in plentiful.

Jesus asks us to pray that God will (in the original language) "THRUST OUT' laborers into the field.  That God will do the sending if we will do the praying.  God is earnestly looking to do this.  Are we earnestly asking for it to happen?


PRAYER:
Father, empower me graciously by Your sovereign Spirit to keep serving and keep praying hard for more servants in the fields of Your work.  May I never lose heart by Your grace.  Thank you for calling me and sustaining me.  Send Me.