by Jordy van Gaalen

Equipped to Be His Hands and Feet

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 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.’”
Matthew 9:35-38 NIV

Jesus is doing His work and fulfilling His purpose as he teaches, preaches, and heals. But something stops Him. His deep compassion for the people. He sees them and knows their need. In the same manner, He has compassion for us. He sees us as we wander and as we lose our way. 

Our greatest need is a Savior. Our deep need is life, and it is found in Christ. Jesus is our Shepherd. He cares for us and guides us, with a deep compassion for our wellbeing. In believing in Him as our Savior, we are given peace and hope in Him. We look to eternal life with God.

The harvest is plentiful. A field full of golden grain sways before us. This is our ministry, this is our mission. Jesus came to not only sacrifice Himself, He came to teach and equip. In this verse, Jesus passes the torch in a sense. He sends workers into the field to harvest. He sends His children out into the world to preach and to teach. As believers, we are the workers, and the fields are those who God places in our lives to love as God loves. We are called to be a light, to shine God’s grace. God has chosen to work through His children, through believers, in sharing the Gospel. We have been called to witness to Jesus’ love, sharing who He is both through our actions and through our words.

The harvest is now. That word carries urgency and timeliness. The harvest waits for no one.  We live in a broken and hurting world, and the time for us to act is now. Each morning that we wake up, the harvest awaits. Spread Jesus’ love and the goodness of God in which you have witnessed. Pray to our Heavenly Father to send out workers, that we would be equipped to be His hands and feet and that we would not be alone in that work.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado