Matthew 9:36-38

³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples,“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was traveling through all the cities and villages around Jerusalem and he noticed that there were many, many people that were confused on what God was like, what it meant to follow God, and who the people could look to for help in the midst of a broken world.  The spiritual leaders of the day had become more interested in sideline issues, whether it was meticulous law keeping or status within the nation of Israel, than the huge, glaring needs right in front of them.  The people needed help, Jesus had compassion, and Jesus called for workers.  Here we are exiting 2012 and entering 2013, and the conditions (although culturally different) are the same.  People are still harassed and still needing help.

Who will help?

If you are reading this, and you’d considering yourself a follower of Christ, my hope is that you would answer that call.  I pray that 2013 would be a year that your compassion for people would grow and your desire to do the labor, or hard work, of advancing God’s kingdom would increase.

Would God be calling you to?:

Read and study the bible more often in order to speak Godly wisdom to those in need?

Pray consistently for a person or persons that needs to know God in a saving way?

Begin meeting with someone for bible study or prayer in order to help them follow Christ better?

Begin leading a weekly small group in your home?

Reach out to a co-worker or neighbor by inviting them to your home for a meal with the hope that you would be able to share the gospel?

Every year I see people go from a place of “not working” for the Lord to “working” for the Lord.  I have yet to find one person that regrets “working” more because ultimately, whenever we answer God’s call, He blesses our work and we too are benefited by seeing God work through us.

Looking forward to seeing what God does in 2013 and through whom He does it!

Shane