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

Some of you are retired, or soon to be retired, church workers, still serving as able. Others are faithful laypeople, willing workers in the harvest field. And then there are those on the sidelines, no longer able to even attend church due to frailty and illness.

I wonder if the disciples weren’t taken aback by Jesus’ words in Matthew 8. He doesn’t give them a pep talk about how important they are going to be in bringing people to faith. He tells them to ask God to send just the right people for the job. “Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” God finds the laborers to work in his fields for his harvest. As far as God is concerned, no one is retired or side-lined. Our commission? Pray for laborers.

Katherine Klemp
St Paul, MN

Heavenly Father, send laborers to reap a plentiful harvest of believers. Amen.

Reflect: Recall how God called you into his service.

Read: Matthew 9:35-38 and Matthew 10:8-23