The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work— that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders— the key is prayer. “Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . .” In the natural realm, prayer is not practical but absurd. We have to realize that prayer is foolish from the commonsense point of view.From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world. How many of us pray without regard to the persons, but with regard to only one Person— Jesus Christ? He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs. Suppose a crisis were to come into your father’s or your brother’s life— are you there as a laborer to reap the harvest for Jesus Christ? Is your response, “Oh, but I have a special work to do!” No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ’s own, “a servant [who] is not greater than his master” (John 13:16), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work— He calls us to Himself. “Pray the Lord of the harvest,” and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.

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Journal Entry for Today-JDV

October 16, 2014

Lord thank you for the lesson about being called to Jesus, not to a mission. Help us to be connected to You this day and to be conscious of the notion that we are not called to do a work regardless of how good or religious the intention or the stated mission. It is clear that we are to be connected to Jesus, and we are to allow Jesus to work through us to sow and reap. Thank you for teaching us that some of the very best work we do is when we are connected to Jesus and are  unaware of the sowing and reaping being done by You through us. I hear the scriptures clearly; “Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and everything else we need will be provided. Acknowledge the Lord in all our ways and You will make our paths straight. Delight ourselves in the Lord and You will give us the desires of our hearts.”

Lord, help us to be connected, curious, expectant and obedient this day. And when we cannot be connected, curious, expectant and obedient, thank you for filling in our gaps with your love, faith, grace, and mercy.