Harvest Rx

These were His instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So, pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.”

Luke 10:2 (NLT)

If I could offer you just one suggestion this harvest season, it would be to read Luke 10 as many times as possible. Why? Because it’s an amazing prescription for many of the problems you and I deal with each day. It also provides an explanation about why we seem to face so many problems in our lives. In fact, here is what Jesus told His followers as they prepared to step out and serve Him in the real world:

“Now go and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.”
(Luke 10:3)

Despite the passage of time, you and I experience a similar scenario today. Like those early disciples, we’re little lambs living in wolf territory! In other words, we have an enemy lurking out there, the one Jesus said He saw “fall from heaven like lightning” (verse 18). And there are also individuals who won’t be interested in our efforts to share about God’s gift of salvation (verse 16).

The latter is probably one of the toughest challenges we will encounter. We wonder why some people with whom we share the Gospel have no desire to accept Jesus as their Savior. Some of these are individuals we care deeply about: family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. In addition, we’re often overwhelmed when we consider that our world is full of men, women, and children who have yet to recognize their need to be saved.

But the prescription for dealing with these problems in our lives is also firmly embedded in Luke 10. Indeed, Dr. Luke suggests four specific strategies we can readily implement:

Pray: The iconic verse, Luke 10:2, reminds believers that our most important calling is to share the Good News about Jesus. So, pray for the wisdom and strength you need to be part of the Lord’s work. Pray for more people to step out into “His fields” and serve along with you. And pray for all those who follow the Lord to remain grounded in our faith and finish life well.

Serve Others: The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) is part of this chapter for a very good reason. It reminds us how we should serve others, just as Jesus did. He helped. He loved. He gave. Remember, in our world there will always be those who are distressed and downtrodden, but “Good Samaritans” will find some way to offer help and hope.

Be Grateful: In Luke 10, Jesus offers up a prayer of thanksgiving to His Heavenly Father. It serves as a beautiful reminder about the importance of focusing on our blessings rather than our burdens. In particular, the Lord tells all believers there’s at least one reason to be grateful each and every day: “because your names are registered in heaven” (verse 20).

Daily Devotion: Dr. Luke’s chapter ends with the story of two sisters—both devoted, but to different things. Martha was overwhelmed by her “to do” list while Mary prioritized time with the Lord. When Martha, annoyed at her sister, went to Jesus with her concerns, He gently replied: “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (verse 42).

While Luke 10 won’t have every answer for our daily dilemmas, it is a good place to start some of that “daily devotion” time. And let’s keep right on reading His Word every chance we get, for it’s full of truths about the Lord of the Harvest—no matter what season of life we’re in.

Many blessings to you this Fall from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!

Thought of the Season