Thought for the week
15th September 2024 - Are you being sent?Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the labourer’s are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out labourer’s for his harvest.” Luke 10:1-2
Over these next two weeks we will celebrate our Harvest Festivals in both churches. This is a great time to give thanks and be generous.
I want you to think the in your lives too. We are growing churches, and AMEN to that. We are growing because the people of Bletchingley and Nutfield are in great need of the love and mercy of Christ. It’s like a dry and barren land waiting to soak up the gentle rain. You are that rain and our Lord wants to send you forth to bring His grace to the world.
It’s important that all Christians understand that they are indeed being sent forth by the Lord to others. This Scripture above reveals that the world is like a field of abundant fruit waiting to be picked. Too often it sits there, withering on the vines, with no one to harvest it.
That’s where you come in.
How ready and willing are you to be used by God for His mission and purpose? You may often feel as though the work of evangelising and harvesting good fruit for the Kingdom of God is the job for someone else. It’s so easy to think, “What can I do?”
The answer is quite easy. You can turn your attention to the Lord and let Him send you. Only He knows the mission He has picked for you and only He knows what He wants you to harvest. Your responsibility is to be attentive. Listen, be open, be ready and be willing. When you sense Him calling you and sending you, do not hesitate. Say “Yes” to His gentle promptings.
Responding means you are the rain to the dry land.
This is accomplished first and foremost through prayer. This passage says, “Ask the master of the harvest to send out labourer’s for his harvest.” In other words, pray that the Lord sends many zealous souls, including yourself, into the world to attend to the many hearts that are in need.
Reflect upon your willingness to be sent by Christ. Give yourself to His service and wait to be sent. When He does speak to you and send you on your way, go without haste and allow yourself to be amazed at all that God wants to do through you.
Prayer
Lord, I give myself to Your service. I lay my life down at Your feet and commit to the mission You have in store for me. I thank You, Lord, for loving me enough that I may be used by You. Use me as You will, Amen.
Every blessing
Father Paul
P.S.
Please give generously to our harvest appeal: donations to Crawley Open House and St Matthew’s Foodbank. Bring them Sunday 15th a 11am or 6:30pm