Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Daily Light - September 21, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few."
Matthew 9:37

My grandfather by his very nature was a farmer. It was in his blood. A couple of times a year we would get to go spend some time with my grandparents, and it did not take long to realize what life was all about. He was either getting the ground ready for the new season, tending to the growing crops, or bringing in the harvest. Sometime during the day he would tune the television in to the Wiregrass Farm Report. Now that is exciting programming in Southeast Alabama! If I was just sitting around the house, my grandmother would put us to work shelling peas or snapping beans. While my grandfather was slaving under the hot sun, my grandmother was usually slaving over the hot stove and getting things ready to be canned and put away. It was all about the harvest.
Looking back I am amazed how much the two of them did all by themselves. They worked tirelessly each and every day with no outside help. They would bring in a plentiful harvest, just the two of them. I think of this when I read the verse above. I also realize that there is not a problem with the harvest. When I have the opportunity to go to foreign countries and see the work that God is doing there, I am always greatly moved by the sincerity of people's faith and the abundant blessing of God's power that I witness. While it is not true in every field, many places are seeing a mighty move of God in their land. Souls are being saved, and lives are literally being changed for the glory of God. When I return and tell of what I have been able to see, many people ask why we are not seeing that here. I believe the answer is very simple. We are not laboring for the harvest as much as others are. There is no problem with God's power; it is still as mighty and effective as always. The harvest is out there, but only a committed few are toiling in the fields.
How do we change this? So many times we are told that it is our lack of witness that is the whole reason for this famine of souls. While that is part of the equation, there is so much more that must be considered. First, each one of us must make an inventory of our own life and make sure that we are completely right with God. Second, we must begin to pray for the power of God to fall on us. To walk out into this world without God's power is spiritual suicide. Third, we must recognize that we are more dependent on God than our methods of evangelism. Fourth, we must make sure that we are preaching a Biblical Gospel of repentance and faith instead of easy believism to pad our numbers. Fifth, we must not let fear or pride cripple the work of evangelizing our communities. Finally, we must witness with God's power and trust Him for the results. The harvest truly is plentiful, but how many of us will be laborers for Christ's sake?
May you be a laborer for God's harvest today!

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