Matthew 9:37-38 (NLT)
He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Explanation:
As I read today’s passage, a song from my youth group days came to mind. It is by the group Plumb and the lyrics are as follows:
There’s a God shaped hole in all of us And a restless soul is searching There’s a God shaped hole in all of us And it’s a hole, only He can fill
I feel as though these lyrics give a glimpse into what God is trying to remind us of and teach us in today’s Scripture. As Jesus was speaking these words to the disciples, He was traveling from town to town telling people the Good News. As He traveled, He met a number of different people, individuals who were lost, hurting. He met with people who were looking for a better way. Jesus had great compassion on these people, and continued to share the Good News of the Savior. They had a God-shaped hole, a longing, that only God could truly fill. The people who are longing for more are those in the harvest. But God needs workers to go out and to share the news of Jesus with others.
This truth is a critical reminder to all of us today. So many people are looking for something to fill the great void in their lives, the God-shaped hole. We have the answer to what they are looking for. But we have to be willing to be a worker who goes out and shares the Good News with others. God has changed our lives, and we should have a deep desire to want this for others. Are we willing to do the work? Are we willing to go into all the world and to tell others that there is a better way? Are we willing to share our faith so that others can be saved? When God changes our lives, we should want to share it with others. The harvest is great, so let’s go and do the work by sharing this news with the world.
Application:
How has the Good News of Christ changed your life?
Why is it sometimes easier to keep this Good News to ourselves?
Are you willing to be a worker, ready to share the Good News with others?
What do you need to do today to be a “worker” who shares Christ with others?
Devo Plus:
My encouragement for all of us this week is that we will be brave and courageous to share our faith with others. Here are some steps to take:
Think of someone in your life who you know needs to hear the Good News of Christ.
Take some time to pray and seek God. Ask God to soften the heart of the individual, and to give you words of wisdom and hope to speak into their life
Take advantage of the opportunities God gives to you to share your faith. Ask God to give you opportunities to speak truth and love into their life.
4.Invite them to church. It’s amazing what God can do with one simple invite.
I’m praying that lives are saved because of our boldness to tell others about Jesus.
Prayer:
God, we know there are so many people in this world who need You. They need to hear the story of Your love, Your grace, and Your truth. Will you help us to be brave? Help us to be bold and confident when it comes to sharing our faith. We long for lives to be changed and saved. We know that it starts with us. Help us to be Your workers, to share the reasons for the peace and hope we have in our lives. We long for life change to happen. We submit all of this into Your hands. Amen.