PRAY EARNESTLY

“When He (Jesus) 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

When our staff gathered to pray this morning (July 13) I read aloud Matthew 9:36-38. Yesterday morning before Sunday School classes, we gathered in the “quad” and prayed for a group of Rocky’s students and adults as they departed for GOD NOW: NASHVILLE, a combination missions/camp week. I praise the Lord that RBBC has been His conduit for sending workers into the harvest for many years, both short and long- term missionaries. May it be that this will always be so with all the more frequency and intensity.

Let us “PRAY EARNESTLY” (literally, “beseech” God) that the Lord will send all of us out into His harvest. His harvest is everywhere around us—in Niceville, Nashville, and the nations. Let us pray earnestly for one another that we will be keenly aware that the Lord is sending us daily into His harvest in our homes, businesses, job sites, schools, stores, medical facilities, neighborhoods, travels, deployments, and friendships.

After praying in a small circle with Bob Enright and Chris Quinlan this morning, I asked myself, ‘Do I “pray earnestly” for the Lord to send out laborers into His harvest? And where does such earnestness come from?’ Then I read the verses again and saw Christ’s heart described: “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them…” (verse 36). I think that earnest prayer flows from compassionate, Christ-like hearts. Therefore, let us see lost people the way Jesus does; let us ask Him for His heart of compassion; let us beseech the Lord to send workers—us and others of our RBBC family—into His harvest.

I am praying for our Nashville team…and you, too, our Niceville and beyond team. Let us proclaim Christ and His gospel wherever we are in the Lord’s harvest fields.