Monday, August 9, 2010
Being an Answer to Prayer
BEING AN ANSWER TO PRAYER
Luke 10:2-3 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." (NIV)
Jesus often used the harvest analogy. It was His way of explaining that He wants people to belong to His Kingdom, as they actively respond to the proclamation of the gospel. As He sends out 72 in addition to the Twelve, He points out that another 72 are not enough to do the job. More need to be commissioned. Although that is Father God's job, Jesus gives the 72 a command to pray that God will send out other workers too.
It may seem strange that God is waiting to be asked to do what He wants to do. It is simple: His plan is to get us to work with Him; not just to do prescribed tasks, but to desire God's objectives with Him, and to pray that He will bring them to completion. The prayer is quite dramatic because "send out" used the same Greek word as 'to cast out' demons. If believers are to serve in this way, it would be well outside their comfort zone and required God's authoritative command to get them (and us) moving! At the same time as His followers were praying that God will send out more workers, Jesus gave the "Go!" command to them. And He made it clear that this was no 'walk in the park' - the journey was potentially frightening.
The greatest two weaknesses in today's church may well be in these two areas, prayer and action. In both we are expected to work with God who is working with us. The initiative comes from Him: Philippians 2:13 says ... "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." But the response needs to be ours. If God provokes our hearts to agree it is good, then pray for it: if God gives the instruction, then do it! And if you pray for God to send people, don't be surprised if He sends you too! Your 'mission station' may be in your home or office, factory or construction site, transport industry or classroom. So pray with another believer at work and then let the Lord guide you to be part of the answer to those prayers.
Prayer: Dear Lord and Master. Thank You for the privilege You have given to me, to work with You. Please forgive me when I have thought it was not my responsibility, but a calling which only applied to 'professional' Christians. Help me to learn to pray according to what is in Your heart, and to grow in my faith as I see you answering my prayers. May I also be willing to be the answer to my own prayers according to Your will. May I not be discouraged by the apparently frightening task ahead of me, but trust You to keep me safe and enable me to be productive in announcing Your Kingdom every day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Luke 10:2-3 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." (NIV)
Jesus often used the harvest analogy. It was His way of explaining that He wants people to belong to His Kingdom, as they actively respond to the proclamation of the gospel. As He sends out 72 in addition to the Twelve, He points out that another 72 are not enough to do the job. More need to be commissioned. Although that is Father God's job, Jesus gives the 72 a command to pray that God will send out other workers too.
It may seem strange that God is waiting to be asked to do what He wants to do. It is simple: His plan is to get us to work with Him; not just to do prescribed tasks, but to desire God's objectives with Him, and to pray that He will bring them to completion. The prayer is quite dramatic because "send out" used the same Greek word as 'to cast out' demons. If believers are to serve in this way, it would be well outside their comfort zone and required God's authoritative command to get them (and us) moving! At the same time as His followers were praying that God will send out more workers, Jesus gave the "Go!" command to them. And He made it clear that this was no 'walk in the park' - the journey was potentially frightening.
The greatest two weaknesses in today's church may well be in these two areas, prayer and action. In both we are expected to work with God who is working with us. The initiative comes from Him: Philippians 2:13 says ... "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." But the response needs to be ours. If God provokes our hearts to agree it is good, then pray for it: if God gives the instruction, then do it! And if you pray for God to send people, don't be surprised if He sends you too! Your 'mission station' may be in your home or office, factory or construction site, transport industry or classroom. So pray with another believer at work and then let the Lord guide you to be part of the answer to those prayers.
Prayer: Dear Lord and Master. Thank You for the privilege You have given to me, to work with You. Please forgive me when I have thought it was not my responsibility, but a calling which only applied to 'professional' Christians. Help me to learn to pray according to what is in Your heart, and to grow in my faith as I see you answering my prayers. May I also be willing to be the answer to my own prayers according to Your will. May I not be discouraged by the apparently frightening task ahead of me, but trust You to keep me safe and enable me to be productive in announcing Your Kingdom every day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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