I think we are officially in the season of fall….<3

It is a gray and windy fall day here on the prairie. 

Which suits this Monday following a full weekend of family and being on the go. 

We enjoyed a visit from our Rochester branch that included taking in a soccer game for Graham

and dinner here at our house afterwards. 

Church before sending Randy and Sonja on their way was followed by some hangs with three of the four while Emmett went to a birthday party.

It all ended with a drive home through a wild storm that made for quite a bit and so today I am looking forward to the routines of the start of the week. 

The washer is humming, food is waiting to be prepped in the fridge and the dust and lint are crying out for a good cleaning. 

Over the weekend I started in the New Testament for the annual read through of the Bible. I love the direct language of The Message most of all when I hit the New Testament. 

As Eugene Peterson took the Greek and put into our every day vernacular, I find the speech to be refreshing and to the point. 

Yesterday and today I worked through the chapters referred to as The Sermon on the Mount. 

Many passages were underlined from previous readings, but I found myself marking up even more and then adding emphasis to those already noted. 

There are so many I want to share, and may come back to this week, but for today I was particularly struck by this passage in chapter 9.

Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd.”

Matthew 9: 35-37 The Message

I am struck with both the image of picturing Jesus 2,000 years ago visiting what towns and villages looked like in the Middle East and yet I cannot help but contrast that with what towns and villages look like now. 

In the Middle East and the Midwest and the coasts and the countries and nations that make up our world. 

Still the same in so many ways, as people are diseased and bruised and hurt and confused and aimless. 

So I read on in the passage to see what his call of action was/is.

“What a huge harvest!” He said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”

Matthew 9:38 The Message

Verse 10 begins with the announcement that no sooner was the prayer prayed, then it was answered and Jesus called his 12 and sent them out giving them power to “kick out evil spirits and to tenderly care for bruised and hurt lives.”

I pause and ask myself a hard question. 

I no doubt can look at the landscape of humanity and see what Jesus saw. 

But am I seeing only the despair and not the potential of a great harvest? 

Am I getting down on my knees and asking God to raise up workers?

hmmmm….much to ponder on this fall day. 

I am going to focus on directing my efforts and energy away from discouragement and into prayer for more workers.

More and more for the harvest is great here and around the world. 

Blessings, my friends, as you heed the words of Jesus and pray. 

Tis Harvest season…and we are equipped to bring it in bountifully for God <3