Workers for the Field

Joel 1:11-12

Be ashamed, O tillers of the soil;

wail, O vinedressers,

for the wheat and the barley,

because the harvest of the field has perished.

The vine dries up;

the fig tree languishes.

Pomegranate, palm, and apple,

all the trees of the field are dried up,

and gladness dries up

from the children of man.

The day of the Lord is coming. He is coming to claim what is His here on earth, what He has entrusted to us to care for and raise up for His honor. 

I fear He will be coming back to empty fields.

The first time I read the passage above, another verse flashed in my mind:

Matthew 9:35-37

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and vilages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harrassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but larborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Let me see if I can clearly communicate the connection which was revealed to me, and how aptly I feel it describes the current condition of the church. 

Two thousand years ago, when Jesus walked the earth He knew there were people in the world just waiting for Him. People who needed help, to be given justice, to be guided, who just needed someone to see them and love them. People who would respond if only they were given the chance.

So He tells us to pray for workers. He says we need to ask for those who will go out to the multitudes and bring His good news to them, because there will always be a plentiful harvest if someone will go out to do the work.

Now, lets come back to the present. 2000 years later and the harvest is still great. The masses who are waiting for the justice, love, and compassion which we are to bring are still waiting. And waiting.

And waiting.

We don’t have enough workers. 

We have found ourselves in a place where statistics tell us that for every ten people filling a church pew, only 2 will actually give their time, talent and treasure to serve God. We have fostered a culture of religion which allows for and excuses inaction and laziness. 

Meanwhile, the harvest is dying in the fields.

So let’s wail, fellow vinedressers. Let’s cry out to God for more workers. Let’s plead for Him to pour His Spirit over those who have not yet engaged in their role in the body of Christ. Pray that those who are asleep woud be awakened.

Let us stir up a revival so the gladness of men will not dry up and we are not ashamed at His returning. 

Continuing the adventure,

Jess