When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 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 9:36-38 ->me: These final verses to chapter 9 are the big lead in to Matthew 10 where Jesus discusses what will come as He sends His disciples out into the fields to harvest. The verse leading into Jesus’ statement about the ‘harvest being plentiful, but laborers few’ is referring to sheep without a shepherd who are ‘harassed and helpless’. Strong’s says that the Greek words used here are more like ‘distressed’ and ‘cast down’. And then for Jesus to add ‘like sheep without a shepherd’ add the rest of the sentiment. As a worker for the Chief Harvester, the sheep I am looking for are the one’s who are confused, dejected, lost, and without direction. When Jesus says ‘pray earnestly’ it can also mean ‘beg’. One thing that strikes me today is that this was said by Jesus over 2000 years ago, so if the earnestness was as high as it was for Jesus at that time, then how much more imperative is it that we heed this call today. I believe that time is short and there are so many souls to harvest for the Kingdom. Sure, I am doing my best glorify God by living an upright and pure life…but what can I look back on each day and see where I have heeded this call by Jesus? I am not doing nearly as much as I could do. One thing I have learned on my road to sanctification is – the closer I get to the Lord and the more I am obedient toward Him, the more I see that I am further away from where I need to be.
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