Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

This is a famous passage, but one thing jumps out at me particularly right now, and that is that it is the Lord’s harvest. We tend to concede that He is Lord of the harvest, but then we want to take credit for our harvest. Paul did say to the Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Likewise, James said, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18) However, we still have to remember that it is His harvest, not ours. This isn’t an invitation to be irresponsible, because we are all accountable to our Lord, but it is a reminder to hold everything loosely, because it doesn’t belong to us. We are to rejoice when He sees fit to use us in bringing in His harvest, but we must not think it is ours. Many pastors become very possessive of the believers in their congregations, but we’ve got to remember they don’t belong to us. When we think they do, all sorts of aberrations occur. We are to be faithful and earnest in the tasks assigned to us, but always remember that the harvest belongs to Him.

This is something I have known on at least some level all my life, but I have had a lot of specific training in it here in Omura. We’ve been operating as a church for 40 years, but the longest any particular believer has been here is a little over half that. We have literally sent people around the world. If everyone who has been an active member here were still here, we would need a much bigger building! When people move away because of work and such the sting isn’t so bad, but we have had people leave and stay right here in Omura. That can be hard to deal with! At the same time, the Lord has indeed sent harvest workers from time to time. A couple from Hong Kong just finished getting all their paperwork straight, and after a couple of years of language study expect to be focused on Omura for their ministry. I am to welcome such people, and at the same time remember that they are the Lord’s workers, and not mine. I am to remember that the Lord chose me to bear fruit that will last, (John 15:16) but what that fruit looks like is His business. I too am a laborer in His harvest field, and my wages are from Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the rather painful training You’ve allowed me to go through this past week. I pray that I would be increasingly effective, not only as a harvest worker but also in training and encouraging other harvest workers, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!