My Harvest Field

The harvest field.  

Have you thought about it much?

I have been thinking a lot about it lately.

This past week my scripture readings brought me through Matthew chapter 9.

In vs 37-38 Jesus says to his disciples,

 "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, 

ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers into His harvest field."

2 things struck me:

First was why he asked it.

starting at vs 35;

"Jesus went through many towns and villages.  He taught in their synagogues.  He preached the good news of the kingdom of God.  He healed every disease and sickness.  Whenever crowds came to Him, He had compassion for them because they were so deeply distraught, and heart-broken.  They seemed to Him like lost sheep without a shepherd." (The Voice Bible)

I am reminded today how much Jesus cares.  He didn't go around healing the sick and preaching the good news just because people were living in sin and needed to repent.

Oh they were, and they did...

but

He healed the sick, ate with the sinners, preached the Good News, because His people, God's people were lost, were distraught, were heart-broken. 

And Jesus had compassion on them.

He loved them.

He wanted to give them life to the full.

He wanted to see them living with hope, light and life.

Second, I was struck by the His words;

"Ask the Lord to send more workers into His harvest field."

It's not about us getting people into our church.

It's not about us getting people into the family of God.

They are already a part of His family.

They are already a part of His church.

Instead we are to go out INTO HIS field.

We are to meet people where they are at.

We are to heal, comfort, love and share the hope we have in Jesus

so that all His children can have life to the full.

And we are to do it not simply because people are lost and need a Savior.

Yes, that is true.

But Jesus models something more.

We are to do it because we care.

Because we have compassion.

Because the love we have for our brothers and sisters is so heavy upon our hearts 

that we can not ignore it.

I've been thinking a lot about the harvest field lately.

I know it's all around me.

It's so everywhere that it can get overwhelming.

So I have been praying about where to begin.

It seems that God continues to point to me.

To challenge me.

My harvest field is wherever I am, wherever I go.

How I love and interact and react to my kids.

How I love and interact and react to my husband.

How I love and interact and react to my friends.

How I love and interact and react to any person I meet in my daily routine.

And to care for them, love them, accept them for who they are and share the hope, grace and abundant life we have through Jesus simply by meeting them where they are at.

That is my life harvest field right now.  

It will change and expand as my life changes and expands,

but right now, this is where God is challenging me.

Have you thought about it much?

I hope you will.

For the harvest is plentiful and it's right where you are.

Dearest Jesus,

the harvest continues to be plentiful and somewhat overwhelming.

Help me to open my eyes and my heart to the part of your field 

which you have placed me in.

Fill me, Spirit, with compassion for all I meet.

Help me to meet them where they are at without judgement or criticism, 

but purely with love.

That through my words and actions, they may experience you.

Amen