DAY 5: Thursday, April 27th

THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL

READ
Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38 )

DEVOTIONAL
It’s easy to read this passage and focus on the word harvest. And I know when I hear that word I immediately think of the big wins we experience in life and in ministry. We typically think of someone coming to faith in Jesus. And, yes, that is a harvest. But as you read the verses leading up to verses 37 and 38 it doesn’t sound like a very abundant time. People are sick, dejected, depressed, and lost. The work that Jesus was calling them to was hard work. The disciples were being called to get into the low points in people’s lives and begin to do the hard work or planting and cultivating so that the Lord could bring about the harvest. I’m sure at this point we have seen some things on this trip that sound a lot like the list Jesus pointed out; disease, sickness, distress, and dejection. Jesus saw these people and had compassion on them. May we have the same heart today. And may we see the opportunity that is before us to be part of the Lord’s work.

PRAYER
Take a moment today to ask God to send workers into this place where we are serving. Ask Him to use you as one of those workers. Pray that God would use this trip that we are on to spark a long term partnership where our church could serve in this place for years to come.

QUESTION
Who is someone from Living Hope that you could talk with about the possibility of coming to Jamaica in the future?