"Tools For The Harvest" Part 4

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest. Matthew 9:36-38
      ----------------------------------------------
Today the Lord reminded me about something that I think most times we tend to gloss over when we read it or maybe it is just me. Maybe I am the only one who hasn't really understood the significance of this moment?

Jesus  was moved by compassion as He was looking at the multitudes. As He gazed out at ALL those people, each with needs, each one weary, each one scattered, lost, and without a shepherd. It says that out of that compassion, out of that moment with His heart filled with love and concern for those people, He turned to His disciples and spoke these words..."The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest."

There are two things here that He 'reminded' me of' that I think we take for granted and gloss over when we read this. The first is the fact that He is talking to His disciples. The word disciple here comes from 3101 and it simply means; a learner, i.e. a pupil. It comes from a root word which means; to learn (in any way.) Naves Topical Bible gives it this meaning. A name given to the followers of any teacher. Being a disciple of Christ means we are His students. We are learning from Him. We take in everything He says and does and we learn from it.

Jesus didn't announce these words to the crowd. He turned and spoke them to His disciples, His pupils, those He was teaching! He took that moment of compassion and turned to His pupils to share it with them. He was teaching them about the people. He was showing them, and us, if we are His disciples, that we have a job to do. There is a harvest and it needs tending!

In His statement to His disciples He tells them two things. First, He told them about the harvest and second, He gave them something specific to do. Something that would 'make all the difference' to the harvest, (to the people who are weary, and scattered without a shepherd.) He told them to pray. He told them to 'pray' to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest," and the reason that it would make all the difference will make sense if you take a look at what the word 'pray' means here. It is the word 1189 in the Strong's and it means; to beg (as binding oneself) i.e. petition. It comes from a root word that means; to bind (lit. or fig.) It said that it was comparable to 4441 which says that(1189 involves the idea of urgent need.)

If you have an urgent need that you are begging someone for, than odds are, you will attach or bind yourself to them in someway. You might grab their hand, arm, or even be prostrate at their feet, but contact is made. With this meaning made clear we have a better understanding of what He was saying to His disciples. By telling them to pray and I don't mean our everyday attitude about talking with God but the begging, petitioning, binding together with attitude that Jesus is telling them to do, then you know that He is teaching them to care! He is teaching them to BE the laborers who will be willing to go! If you bind together with the Lord of the harvest don't you think that His heart for the harvest will become your heart? By the time your done binding, begging, and petitioning Him with an urgency don't you think your heart will look more like His heart for the weary, the scattered, and the lost sheep without a shepherd?

The word laborers here is 2040 and it means; a toiler; fig. a teacher. It comes from a primitive root word that is obsolete and means to work; toil as an effort or occupation; by implication, an act. So Jesus, turns to the disciples, His students, and with His heart full of compassion for the people and He tells them to pray. To bind with the Lord of the Harvest that He will do what? That He will send laborers, or rather those that are willing to toil, to work, and teach. That as their occupation, with both words, deeds and by their actions they would tend the harvest! By the time you get done praying, or rather binding together with the Lord of the Harvest, about those that need to labor and to have a heart for the harvest then you are going to end up being one of those laborers. Your going to end up with a heart for "The Harvest." 

The Lord of the Harvest cares about the harvest! He cares about each and every person.  He is looking for laborers who are willing to bind together with Him and who are willing to share His heart for both Him and the Harvest.

Seems to me, that the greatest tool He could give His disciples for doing the work of the harvest comes in this one statement, in this one moment, when He, with His heart full of compassion, turned to His disciples and He told them its all in the asking! He said, "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest," because if they or rather, we will truly do that, we will have the most important thing possible. A heart of compassion! A heart for the Harvest!