This passage of Scripture has never been more real to me. Throughout the week, I have been pondering as to how I was going to write this post. How do I effectively convey my thoughts, desires, emotions, and burdens with as much passion as I feel?
"The harvest is plentiful..." Yes! Yes, it is! Since we have hit the halfway mark of the summer, a new sense of emergency has hit. We are surrounded everyday by people who do not know God. They reject Him and choose to follow idols. But somehow, these very same people want something more. I have seen it. They want an assurance of salvation. They want to know that the Creator of the universe loves them, but they are still clueless on how to find that love. We tell them stories found within the pages of the Bible. We serve them with our hands and feet.
However, it may take longer than two months to reach them. "The workers are few." Yes...yes, they are. The three of us will be gone in a matter of weeks. We have more connections already than the team of nine can handle. Who will step into our place after we leave? Who will continue to share with them about God's love, hope, mercy, wrath, judgment, and the coming Kingdom? Who will be there to minister and serve the internationals? The 50+ Iraqi community? The elderly, sick woman, who longs for friendship? The children who want to hear stories about Jesus? The international who has been led astray as to what true Christianity is? Who will be there to disciple the young believers in Christ? Who will step in and fill the gap?
The three of us have halfway jokingly, halfway seriously mulled over the idea of how we could move here and continue on working with the internationals. We could transfer colleges and finish school here. However, we know that we cannot do all the work by ourselves. New people arrive in this growing city every week. New needs arise in which we are not qualified to help. Who will these workers be? We pray that these workers would answer God's call to reach the nations here in Louisville.
One of the directors said this week that he hopes that the organization will not exist in 25 years. I was confused by this statement. He said that he prays that the Church, God's Church, would rise up and "do their job" to help, love, befriend, and share the Gospel with those in need here in Louisville. If the Church will do that, then there will be no need for the organization.
Now, I pray that it will cease to exist.
"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Matthew 9:37-38
- S. Danielle