Something I have been chewing on and that has been chewing on me.
Matthew 9:35-38
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Jesus had compassion on them, he was moved, because they were helpless. What should we do when we are filled with compassion- not only for the physical and emotional desperation, but also for their spiritual lostness? Jesus told the disciples to pray to God for more workers to be sent.
Guess who God sent… The next verse starts chapter 10 and we read that Jesus calls the 12 disciples and sends them out. Pray, not only that God will send workers… pray that he will send you. Whether in your neighborhood, your workplace, or across the ocean. Surrender to whatever and wherever he may want to send you to.
John Piper has said that there are 3 types of people that hear the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations:
1. Those who GO 2. Those who SEND 3. Those who DISOBEY
Will you pray and ask for a passion for God and compassion for other people like Jesus had? Will you be willing to surrender whatever he might ask of you to either GO or SEND?
After seeing the scope and magnitude of the poverty, disease, and spiritual darkness in places like Haiti and Africa, I am compelled to do something. The people there are so hungry for and open to God’s word unlike anything I see in America.
I have been praying that God would send more workers to the harvest there, and that I would be part of the answer to GO and/or SEND as God leads, and that he would help me to spread the word here and connect people with opportunities to make a difference.
I hope this comes across in the way which I intended it - not as a guilt trip, but as a challenge to all of us to look outside of our comfort to make sacrifices for eternal rewards of God’s Kingdom.
Please take a minute to watch this video and read this blog post by Seth Barnes.
I think it helps to paint a little picture of some of the needs out there. Lets commit to find ways to make a difference in other for people’s lives. Lets have hearts of compassion and look for ways to meet needs like Jesus would today and every day. I am working on putting together some practical ideas that we can do that together, so be sure to come back, and be looking and praying for opportunities.
