05/21/2026
Are we all witnessing to others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ; if so do we witness at home or abroad, and do we ever feel overwhelmed as we go about performing this task? If we are overworked, and find that there are way more souls than we can possibly reach, or teach, then let’s listen to the words of Jesus as He tells us how to call for help. However, if we find that we are not witnessing at all, or not going forth into God’s harvest field, then let’s resolve ourselves to listen for His call, and from wherever we might find ourselves let’s pray for strength and resolve!
“Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."”
Matthew 9:37-38 ESV
Why was it that Jesus asked his disciples to pray for help in bringing in God’s harvest? I am certain that you have asked yourself this question before when you see such obvious needs, and yet God desires us to come to Him despite His foreknowledge of what is transpiring. Why must we pray for God to provide something that He already knows is a need? In this case, Jesus is asking his disciples to pray for something that is directly of benefit to God, and His kingdom... Why then must we ask? Why isn’t help already provided?
A few years ago I gave a speech before my corporation about the meaning of the biblical word AMEN! This sounds like an odd speech to deliver before a very large public company, but I was using an ancient Hebrew understanding of this word to demonstrate a management concept... interestingly it is the answer to this question, “why must I pray for God to send me help when He already knows what I need?” The point I made during my speech, before this largely secular audience, is the same one I make to you now; the word Amen was used to claim joint ownership in a blessing, a prayer, and a deed.... and the power of that blessing would be transferred equally to the person when they exclaimed, “Amen”! Something else also happened in that Amen moment, that moment of claiming joint ownership... a more powerful commitment and effort was delivered by the person who exclaimed “Amen” because they had made the task their own.
You see, ownership of an idea or task causes us to dedicate greater effort to it because it has become ours... our idea, our job to do, our prayer, and our mission. Suddenly we have gone from working FOR God, to working WITH God! Can you see the difference? God doesn’t want an employee, He wants a partner, a coworker... a son or daughter in the family business. Praying a prayer like that which Jesus asked His disciples to pray... “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest" requires that they accept a much deeper role in the effort of gathering the harvest, and it places them on speaking terms with God... even more than this, it makes them children of the Master of the Field. Are we willing to say Amen to such a prayer, and claim it for ourselves?
We pray for many things in our lives, and none of them is a shock to God; He is aware of every need and every situation before we lift it up to Him, and yet He waits to hear our voice. He wants us to join with Him. Sure, He wants our dependence on Him, but not because we are someone who can do nothing, but because we are someone who can do anything as we work through it with our Heavenly Father!
“But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."”
Matthew 19:26 ESV
When we are partnered with God all things are truly possible! He is the senior partner, the one with controlling interest in the venture, but still... we are working with Him, and we have a say in the endeavor. Prayer is a conversation, not simply a request for a decree, but rather an agreement. When we pray we are conversing with God, and then devoting ourselves to His will... and this will that we have agreed to is not one that we have been forced into. We serve God, but we do so willingly, as a partner in His will for us, and all of this is accomplished in a single, but powerful, word… Amen!.
Are we ready to have a discussion in prayer with God regarding His harvest field? Are we ready to talk about where we fit into the task of bringing the grain, the souls, into His storehouse? Perhaps we have already had this conversation, or maybe we aren’t ready yet. Then again, we might be needed elsewhere, and our prayer involves a different endeavor, a different duty, a different service for the kingdom. Whatever the will is that God has for us... this is the one we will ultimately want to say Amen to... He is asking us to join Him in it…. Are we ready?
“Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.”
John 4:35-36 ESV
So how will we pray today? Will we ask God to give us something without any involvement on our part, or will we partner with Him? Even in those times of immediate need when there seems to be nothing we can contribute, we can... we can raise up our hand so that He can take it, or maybe call out to Him so that we reveal where we are. The smallest contribution in prayer makes us His partner when we act on it. So, let’s say Amen today... right now!
Prayer:
Father, thank you for desiring our prayers, and listening to our voices as we reach out to you. Thank you Holy Father for allowing us joint ownership in the governance of your harvest, and for giving us the privilege of joining with your Holy Spirit in understanding your will for us. I think about the prayers of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and His conversation with you regarding your will for Him, and I recall His final agreement with you as He said... “not my will, but yours, be done.” His desire Father was to willingly do your will, and that is my heart’s desire as well. I am not simply a slave, but a child under your care, and you teach me each and every day to understand your reasoning, and how to partner with you. You instruct me in the planting of your fields, the gathering of the harvest, the birthing of the lambs, the tending of the sheep, the sheering, and thrashing of grain, and the storing up of your good treasure. I thank you for all these things, because as an heir and joint heir with Jesus there is a day coming when you will ask me to mind your ventures, and on that day I wish to be ready in your eyes. Encourage me Father to pray, and help me to listen intently as we discuss the day’s business of your kingdom, and of my life. Let me hear your voice in my affairs, and understand that nothing I do is wholly my own, but done in partnership with you. This is my lesson today, this is my desire, and you are He in whom I confide my shortcomings and seek aid in doing your will. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God, my Father, the Master of the Field in which I claim Amen jointly with you. I pray now in the name of Jesus, that you help me as you helped Him, so that I can say AMEN to a harvest, a field, an idea, or some other will of yours that involves me.
“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV
AMEN!
Rich Forbes