The Harvest Is Plentiful
John 4:34-38 (NLT)
Then Jesus explained: ‘My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing my work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.’
There’s no doubt that we live in interesting times. I go out into our city and see a generation hungry for answers. I often find myself travelling down Broad Street in the evenings - I see people craving joy, freedom and fulfilment because it is our human nature to crave these things. But what happens to those who seek and never find? What happens when the realisation arrives that the joy from worldly sources is only temporary?
When I was in a season of feeling lost, I began asking myself the questions many of us ponder at some point in our lives. Is there more to life than I see before me? Do I have a purpose?
I believe, and hope you agree, that the answer for all of us is 'yes'! But there are many out there who don’t share this belief. They do not know the promises of the Father that give us faith to stand firm in the hope of eternal life. They are, what we in the church refer to as, 'the lost'; seeking the same things we are, but looking in all the wrong places.
In this passage, Jesus states that there is a field ready for harvest out there. People searching for answers. People who are beginning to ask those big questions and who want to join the dots of what life in all its fullness could be. We are called to step out and guide them along their way.
Reflect on any places that you go where you see 'lost sheep'. How could you reach out to these people and give them answers? Jesus promises a harvest out there to those who step out into the field. Let that be an encouragement to you as you 'scatter' across the city.
Prayer - Lord, help me to be a light to those around me.