Praying to the Lord of the Harvest

Prayer is the one key element in the work of the Lord that must not be overlooked or underestimated. When we talk about “praying to the Lord of the harvest,” I wonder how serious we are? In Matthew 9:35–38 we are given three reasons to pray for world evangelism:

1. Pray Out of Compassion

We should see the world as Jesus does (Matthew 14:14). If we are not careful we can harden ourselves to the needs of the world around us. Sometimes we let a hardened attitude creep into our hearts when we think about the Lord’s work of reaching the lost. It is entirely possible for us to lack compassion when we go to the Lord in prayer. We don’t have a burning desire for God to do a work not only in our lives but also through our lives, to be felt locally and around the world for the cause of Christ.

The Greek word that is translated compassion means to have the bowels yearn, to feel sympathy, or to pity. Many years ago, as I was walking in the streets of Caracas Venezuela, I saw a boy whose body was mangled from fire. He was begging for money with his younger sibling. At first I walked right past them. But then, not many steps further, I was hit with the realization of how badly they needed the Gospel.

We can get so caught up in our own agendas and schedules that we have no compassion at all when we ask the Lord to send out more missionaries from our midst. It is very easy for us to take all emotion out of our prayers. However, when we do that we are going contrary to the Scriptures.

Jesus often demonstrated compassion in His prayers. In the specific context of our text, He told us to pray for laborers because He was emotionally stirred due to what He had seen. We need to ask God for a greater burden for the lost of this world. God may never call you specifically to the mission field but your heart needs to be stirred just as Jesus’ was. Ask the Lord to soften your heart and then slow down when you talk to Him so that you can really consider the needs of those around you.

2. Pray Out of Obedience

Disciples are commanded to pray. The word pray literally means to beg. The same word is used in 2 Corinthians 5:20. This begging attitude is the same as that which Christ wants us to have when we go to Him in prayer. Every Christian has the responsibility to beg God for laborers so that more will be accomplished in His harvest fields. Are we praying out of compassion? Are we praying out of obedience?

This proper attitude in prayer is the means to have the power of God on our lives. If we are to accomplish anything for God it cannot be apart from His power. We should all be begging God to pour out this power upon us so that we can make a greater impact for Christ on our world. Our example, Jesus, when He was getting ready to choose His disciples, went into a mountain and continued in prayer all night (Luke 6:12). I wonder how many moms and dads are already praying that He would call their sons and daughters?

3. The Hour Is Critical

The Greek word for send in our text means to drive or push out. It is not a casual exercise. The need is great! Are we at all concerned? We need to keep in mind that sometimes God answers our prayers by using us. It doesn’t matter how old we are or what our current circumstances may be. In John 4:35 the Lord tells us that the fields are, “White already to harvest.” Farmers will tell you that when the stalks are white it is absolutely critical that they be harvested or they may be lost with the first strong gust of wind. The Lord is letting us know that we cannot waste time waiting for the ideal circumstances. And, we must not be discouraged by the tares that will not receive the Gospel. We just need to get the message out!

Keep in mind that our missionaries have the same flesh that you and I have. They can be discouraged just as we can. The devil attacks them as well. But God can use us to pray for their protection and for them to have strength in the Lord. Jesus Christ can come back at any moment. We should make sure that we have done all that we can for world evangelism.