Are we prepared to be the answer to prayers?
Reading Matthew 9 today,
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)
Jesus saw the amount of work to be done. He had great compassion on the people who needed the good news of the gospel. So he turned to his disciples and brought the need to their attention. Take this need to God, he told them.
I can see them saying, "Oh yeah, we should get some workers! You're right Jesus. Something needs to be done about this! Let's pray!"
It's interesting to note that there were no chapter breaks in the original text. Those were placed there later by translators. Therefore, the very next verse in chapter 10 immediately follows the last verse in chapter 9. There should be no break. Look what it says Jesus did next.
"Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." Matt 10:1-8 (NIV)
Do you see what he did there? Jesus first showed them the need, told them to pray for workers to go, and then he sent them!
Basically Jesus was saying, "Oh good, I'm glad you are on board with this. So since you are willing to ask for workers, why don't you go yourselves as well!"
Today it's so easy to stop when Jesus shows us the need. We see the dying world around us. We cry out how it needs to change. And then we go about our lives, doing nothing about it.
But the answer to man's problem will never be anything other than to hear the Gospel. And they cannot hear if we do not go.
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15 (NIV)
Time to get those beautiful feet moving!
Love God, love people, do something about it.
