“When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.” John 16:21 (ESV)
There is so much excitement around the birth of a child. So much anticipation, and preparations! The labor is intense, even to the point to wanting to give up, but the baby comes. I remember the 40 hours of labor my wife went through for our first child. Yes, it was exhausting! But then he was placed in our hands. Everything changed. Our lives changed as we took this baby home. Our world was never the same!
Friends of ours are in the middle of harvesting pecans. The nuts are ready, but they must work hard to get them off the trees. They have spent all year preparing for this window of harvest. Long days with early mornings and late nights. Machinery breaking and miracles are happening! But my friend has to keep getting out of bed early and working till late at night. He must keep going! He is tired, emotionally walking ups and downs, and at times wondering how they’d get through the day, but God continues to sustain them as they show up! The fruit must be harvested!
We are excited about the harvest upon us, but we must get ready! We must get out and bring it in. Jesus said the harvest is white and ready but the workers are few (Matthew 9:37-38). The problem wasn’t the harvest (nor is it now), it was the lack of workers. Harvest is before us, but we must bring it in. We must share our faith with our friends and family. We must invite people to join us in our church services. We must ask them to if we can pray for them, inviting God to do a miracle in their life. God will release salvation, healing and deliverance. But we must show up, speak up and pray! And with the harvest comes revival, awakening and reformation!!! This is the hour we have been praying for, but we are to be a part of its fulfillment! We must engage in it, even if it means inconvenience, less sleep and less recreation time. Our city will never be the same!
Tell the Lord that you will step in as a harvest worker! Ask Him to sustain you, to lead you and to work miracles as you do! Ask Him for fresh eyes to see those around you ready to be harvested, even ones who have rejected your witness or invites in the past! Ask Him for a new sense of harvest at your local church. The enemy has worked overtime to wear out the saints in this past season, but now ask the Holy Spirit for a refreshing wind over your pastor and church to engage in the harvest! Ask for a new fire, and a renewal of first love. Pray that across our city harvest workers would rise up and engage in the crop! Declare Athens will be saved, reformed and transformed!!!
