Lord of the Harvest
'“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”” -Matthew 9:37-38.
I’ve recently been reflecting on this verse and absolutely love the term “Lord of the harvest.” Let’s break this verse down. When Jesus tells his disciples that the harvest is plentiful, He’s referring to the people. In the verse prior to 37, it says he had compassion on the crowds because they were “harassed and helpless, like lost sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt. 9:36). Plenty of people came out to hear Jesus speak and witness miracles, but that’s as deep as it went. In the same way, a lot of people like to attend church and hear nice words, yet the second they hear something they don’t like, they bail. They are fans of Jesus, but not followers. There’s plenty of harvest (people/lost sheep), but not enough laborers (true followers of Christ/disciples). It’s a superficial kind of love that says “let me take what I can get from this that makes me feel good, but I don’t want to actually follow through on the lifestyle that Jesus asks of us because it’s inconvenient for me.” In every relationship, there’s take and give. If you’re doing all the taking and no giving, the relationship usually ends up not working out. It has to be equal. The Bible explains that true love is selfless (Corin. 13:4-8). We obey God not because we have to, but because we love Him, and therefore it’s a personal decision reflecting the depth of your love. It’s saying, “When I say I love you, I’m not just saying it, I mean it. I believe You, I’ll follow wherever You lead, I choose You.” Are you spending intentional time with God? Do you make room for Him in your heart? Are you reading His word? Are you truly a follower or just a fan?
The Bible says that you reap what you sow, further stating that, “whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8). Whatever you put into yourself (tv, social media, influences, music, friends) is what will flow from you and ultimately what you will become. Who do your surround yourself with? What are you watching? What do you spend the most time on? How is it affecting your mood? Matthew 15:11-19 says, “It’s not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out….But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” The Bible further states that “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). You can’t always trust your feelings. For example, you know that voice that’s always telling you you’re not good enough/pretty enough/worthy enough? It’s a liar, it’s the devil, and as the Bible states, he is the father of lies, literally. However, he can’t whisper insecurities into your ear if you weren’t already filling yourself up with things that cause them. Are you sitting there for hours scrolling through social media comparing yourself to others? The Bible assures us of our worth because of who God is. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He saw you as you were and chose to come anyway because He loved you. He chose you. I know who I am because I know who He is, the ultimate Authority on everything. If the Creator of the universe says I’m worth it, then I’m worth it. Yet, you wouldn’t have a different mindset if you spend all your time on things that don’t profit you. That’s why it’s important to guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23) because everything you do flows from it and what you allow to fill it, is what you will ultimately believe/think/speak/act on.
We are all scattered seeds, but we choose whether we will stay planted to sprout mature fruit or stay a seed that never has the opportunity to mature. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The more time we spend with God and dwell in Him, the more we let the Lord work through us to make us fruitful in His spirit. The less of God you fill yourself up with, the less opportunity you give yourself for Him to be reflected through you. That’s why the Bible refers to your body as a temple. In Exodus, God dwelled in the tabernacle the Israelites built for Him. After Christ came, God no longer needed to dwell in a home built for Him because He dwells within us as the Holy Spirit. What you fill yourself up with determines how much of the Holy Spirit can dwell within you. God can’t dwell in a home/vessel that fills itself with sinful gratification. He is holy and can only dwell inside a vessel that makes room for Him. You are the temple. You decide whether He stays or goes.
God is the Lord of the harvest. He comes to collect the harvest and we (as true believers and followers) are called to share the gospel/spread the word/reflect His glory through our lives, and actions. We are the laborers, the reapers. Will we reap fruit and help others to be abundantly fruitful as well or will we waste the precious opportunity the Lord has given us?
