Each of us should have a deep desire to see more missionaries surrendering to go to the mission field – not only to the near and far places, but also to the hard places. What will it take to make this happen? Better recruiting methods? Bigger budgets? Dynamic sermons about reaching the lost?
Jesus has already given us a simple strategy in Matthew 9:38 where he says, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” We need more labourers to share the gospel, make disciples and start churches, so let’s pray and ask God for them!
Would you consider joining me in this endeavor? Let’s set two alarms for every day this next month — one at 9:38 AM and another at 9:38 PM (Matthew 9:38). Each time the alarm sounds, pray for the Lord of the harvest to send more missionaries to the mission fields. It’s simple: we ask and the Lord of the harvest sends.
What should motivate us to do this? The answer is in Matthew 9:36 where the Bible says Jesus had compassion on the multitudes. As we watch the news and listen to reports from missionaries, we see the “multitudes” all around the world who are hurting. They need Jesus — a Savior, who can forgive them of their sins. I have seen them in Pakistan, Uganda, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Nepal, Germany, Ecuador and so many other parts of the world. Having witnessed their desperation, hopelessness, loneliness, fear, abuse, and no hope of peace with God stirs up within me a strong compassion to pray for more people to reach them with the Gospel. Many of them have an immediate need for food, shelter, and money, but ultimately the solution is workers who will share Jesus. So, what must we do?
- We must plead with God to thrust out more missionaries.
- We must be motivated by compassion for the lost.
The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history. – Andrew Murray
