Obedient Harvest Prayer

    So, this past Sunday we came face to face with one of only two places in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus gives instruction in the discipline of prayer.  Prayer – so central to our spiritual living.  And Jesus only teaches about it twice.  Meaning, I think, we’d want to pay careful attention to what he says.

    The first teaching is in Matthew 6 – the Sermon on the Mount.

    The second teaching is at the end of Matthew 9 – where we’re told to pray for “Harvesters” – people willing to bring the message and hope of the Saviour to their neighbours and friends and community that faces so much hurt and so many false messages.
The interesting thing – and perhaps uncomfortable part – is that Matthew 10:1 follows immediately after 9:38.  In 9:38 Jesus commands his disciples to pray for harvest workers.  In 10:1 Jesus says to the disciples, “And now you are going to be those workers.”
N.Thomas Wright suggests that when we pray for the harvest, it is best to be on the lookout.  For Christ is probably going to tap us on the shoulder and show how WE are to be part of the answer to our own prayer.
That was true for the disciples.
It is true for us.

So….

Who is on your “harvest” prayer list?
That is, for whom are you specifically praying – by name?
Praying for peace to fill their lives and homes.
Praying for fellowship to grow in natural, real ways between you and them
Praying for a chance for you to display some real, immediate care in their lives
Praying for a moment to share about the joy and hope of the eternal relationship that you have with God through Jesus.

I have come to firmly believe that this is not an optional extra for the Christian life, friends – like, say, getting a sun roof installed into your car, or not.
It is a core essential of every Christian’s life of obedience to Jesus.
And of every Christian church – including Calvin Church.

So, as we pray, we look for opportunities to be a Christ-like presence and witness to others.
How’s that?
1.  Partly through simply looking for how God might answer your prayers and open doors for you to be a genuine friend to this person for whom you are praying.  No strings attached.  Just a real friend. Whom you can come to know, and enjoy being with.

2.  Looking for how God may provide a way for you to truly care for that person.  The Lord opened such a door for me in the past week.
As I was headed over there, I found myself thinking, “Hmm, amazing, really, how these sorts of things just begin to happen when you start praying very specifically for them.”
Then a little voice inside whispered, “Maybe it’s not so amazing at all.  Maybe it’s amazing that you THINK it is amazing.”
I had to pray, “Lord, forgive the dullness of my faith!  How could I expect a moment like this NOT to occur?”

3.  And then, you know, it’ll come up somewhere along the way, as we walk through openings that the Holy Spirit provides, that we’ll be able to engage in conversations about what really matters most in our lives, and where God fits in, and how we connect to him through Jesus.

Over the next three weeks I’ll give some hints/suggestions on what you can do for conversation starters when such moments appear.

For now, let’s keep praying.
And looking for the open doors to appear.
And walk through them in obedient faith.

Thoughts on this?
Love to hear from you.

The Living Lord be with you.
Pastor Ken

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