Lord of the harvest
This devotion is intended to complement the 2024 CWCI Prayer for the Nation program being held throughout May.
Introduction
When the people of Israel entered the Promised Land, God told them:
‘…the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete’ (Deuteronomy 16:15).
A good harvest was a reminder of God’s faithfulness in providing what he promised. A good harvest was a sign of God’s blessing. No matter how much they ploughed their fields, or how many seeds they planted, unless God blessed them with the sunshine and rain to help the crops grow, there would be no harvest. When harvest time came they were to reap with joy, praising God because he had once more provided for them so abundantly.
The Bible also uses imagery of fields ready to be harvested to describe those who desperately need to hear the gospel. Let’s look at what our part is in reaping in God’s harvest field.
In Matthew chapter 9:1-34 we see Jesus forgiving and healing a paralysed man; calling a tax collector to follow him; answering questions about fasting; curing a sick woman; raising a young girl from the dead; making a blind man see; and driving demons out of a man who couldn’t speak. Now read on…. Read Matthew 9:35-36
Reflect
- What does verse 35 tell us about Jesus’ ongoing ministry?
- How are the crowds described in verse 36? What similarities do you see with those around us today?
- What can we learn from Jesus’ reaction to the crowds?
Jesus went about proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God and healing people. He recognised that unless people heard the gospel they would continue to be lost away from God. Do we believe this is also the case for those around us? Do we have compassion on them? And does this compassion drive us to pray for them and actively point them to Jesus, the good Shepherd?
Reflect
- This is a prophecy about God’s servant, Jesus. How does Isaiah describe all people in the first part of this verse?
- How was the second half of this verse fulfilled by Jesus?
Jesus died so that those who are harassed and helpless and without a shepherd could be brought back into relationship with God. This is such good news … and it’s meant for sharing!
Reflect
- What harvest do you think Jesus is talking about in verse 37?
- What problem does he raise about the harvest?
- What solution does Jesus give to this problem in verse 38?
Our nation is full of people who are lost away from God. We must ask God to help us see them as he sees them – sheep in desperate need of a shepherd. We must ask him to help us have compassion on them as Jesus did.
God also tells us his fields are ripe for harvest! (John 4:35). So let’s ask the Lord of the harvest to send us, as his workers, into his harvest field. Jesus gave his life for us – how can we possibly keep this good news to ourselves?
Let’s pray for an abundant harvest!
Let’s sing!
The Great Southland (Bullock); Facing a Task Unfinished (Getty); What Grace is Mine (Getty); Hear the Call of the Kingdom (Townend); I, the Lord of Sea and Sky (Schutte).