Harvest Hands

by Angela Posey-Arnold

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

(Matthew 9:35-38 The Message)

Isabella woke to the screaming alarm clock again. As she put her feet on the cold floor she sighed in dread of the day ahead. She felt alone when she finally went to sleep and she still felt alone. She made some weak coffee and added water to the little milk she had left for the kids' cereal. Again she sighed and went through the joyless motions of the morning, like a robot on autopilot. She wished someone would put her in fast forward and get done with this thing she called a life.

The kids off to school, she walked five blocks to her job with her head down . . . her heart down even further as tears filled her eyes. How can things get any worse? I don't know how much more I can stand. Life is not supposed to be like this.

A glimmering light caught her attention. In the corner of her tear filled eye she saw a bright object reflecting the sunlight in every direction. Drying her eyes with her hand she focused and saw a cross on a steeple of the church. She had seen it a million times but never like this. The cross seemed to speak to her today. She stopped and stared at the reflecting light feeling drawn to it until the crowd moved pulling her along.

Arriving at work with the same old grouchy boss, the same ever-ringing telephone, the same pile of work to do, something seemed different. In her heart she felt something strange. It felt like . . . well, like hope.

Oh, hope for what, more of this? she thought. But she couldn't dismiss the feeling. The image of the glimmering cross seemed etched in her mind.

For weeks she felt a tugging in her soul. Like something was missing. She didn't know what to do with the feeling or the tugging. She continued to drudge along through life as a robot, completing each task but not letting herself feel much of anything. Except when she passed The Cross. On cloudy days there was no light reflecting but somehow it seemed to still shine. The image of it seemed to be following her. One such day she stopped right in the middle of the street, looked up at the Cross and with her fist in the air she confronted the feeling, the tugging and the image head on.

"Okay God, I have never really believed you were there, and I am not a Holy person, but this is getting scary. Now, look, if you have something to say, say it. I am struggling down here and I could use a hand." Isabella blurted out. Before she realized what she was saying the words had flown out of her mouth.

Nothing happened. Well, people stared at her but there was no lightning, no burning bush, no massive choir of angels, nothing.

Yeah, that is what I thought. Nothing. Thanks a lot for nothing. Isabella robotically moved on.

She trudged on to work, her boss grunted what sounded like a "good morning," and ordered her to get him some coffee and hurry up. Isabella grunted back in his direction.

She took her time getting to the break room. Georgia, her work friend, arrived at the door first, and opened the door for Isabella.

"Yes, come on in, my dear. By all means, you get HIS coffee first. Is he still Grouch Master this morning?" Georgia giggled in her usual manner and doing her best imatation of Isabella's boss.

Isabella replied, "What do you think? Of course he is. Georgia, I don't know how much more I can take of any of this. I am just at my rope's end. He doesn't pay me squabble, the kids need school supplies, I am having weird dreams in the day time, I get no child support, and we don't even have enough for food or rent. I am so scared and so alone. I do not know what to do."

Georgia was taken somewhat by surprise. Isa' had always been the quite, shy type. She certainly never opened up to talk to her this way. Before Georgia could say anything Isabella was crying. No, correct that, Isa' was sobbing. Georgia gently put her arms around her and let her cry until she got it all out. The good, bad and ugly, the snot and the tears. The emotion had to come out and it came out all over Georgia's big, broad, strong shoulder.

"Oh, Georgia. I am so sorry. I should not be burdening you with my stupid problems." Isabella sobbed as she regained her compusure.

Georgia led her to a chair, "Isabella, it is okay. Everyone needs someone to talk to sometimes. You do not have to carry this burden all alone. I may be short and petite; and I may look like I couldn't carry a bucket of water from the well, but I have strong shoulders. See, Isa, I am yoked with Jesus, He carries burdens for me. Can you go with me somewhere tonight?"

"Well, Georgia I have no idea what 'yoked with Jesus' means but I suppose I could get a babysitter for a couple of hours. Sure I'll go with you, where?"

"To the park beside the church just a few blocks down. You know the one with the big cross on the top?" Georgia said. "I am a member there. I am a Christian. I know Jesus and He knows me. I want to introduce you to Him. It may take me a while to tell you all He has done for me, and how my life has never been the same since I opened my heart and let Him in. But I think He is waiting on you. See you at six in the park?"

Isabella stared at the cross hanging around Georgia's neck. Remembering the cross shining in the sun, she answered, ※I" know the place extremely well, especially lately. I'll meet you there."

The day seemed so long to Isabella but at six on the dot she was sitting on the bench looking up at The Cross - still there, unchanged. The same as yesterday. "I want You, Jesus," she prayed.

She looked up to see Georiga coming her way. Her friend sat down beside her and Isa quietly confided, "Georgia, I talked to Jesus."

Georgia reached out with her disciple harvest hands. Isabella took her hand . . . Isabella took the Hand of Jesus. Her life forever changed. Jesus touched her and joy filled her soul with hope.

Georgia is proof of God's answer to the Disciples' prayer when Jesus told them to get "on their knees and pray for harvest hands." God is still answering that prayer today. Time after time God answers this prayer for more harvest hands. As a matter of statistical fact, in 2008, God now has an estimated 2.1 billion sets of harvest hands on this planet.

But, since Isabella joined the Family of God as a disciple of Jesus Christ, God now has an estimated 2.1 billion plus one, no actually four. Isabella's three children accepted Jesus, too. No wonder it is an estimated number. It is constantly growing as more harvest hands reach out to the lost sheep. No longer confused and wandering aimless like a sheep without a shepherd, they are now in the fold. Never to be alone again.

Now, Isabella is using her harvest hands to reach out to her boss. God will answer the prayer again and it will be 2.1 billion plus 5.

The Harvest is great. As disciples of Jesus we must be "on our knees praying for more harvest hands." Even though it is estimated that 33% of the world population is Christian*, the harvest is still great and the workers are still few.

Oh God, Our Father, we too pray on our knees for more harvest hands. We pray Lord that Christians all over the world will reach out with love and tell about Your love, mercy and grace. There are so many who are lost. Draw them Lord. Help us to reach them. Shine Your light; reflect Your love, on them. Open our hearts to see their need. Help us to always be Your harvest hands. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen

__________

*According to a statistical analysis done by David B. Barrett's religious statistics organization and published in the Encyclopedia Britannica there are approximately 2.1 billion Christians in the world. The world population is 33% Christian, which leaves an estimated upper bound estimate of 21% Islam, 14% Hindu, 6% primal-indigenous, 6% Chinese Traditional, 6% Buddhism and .22% Judaism.

~ ~ ~

Ready, Set, Go

Karen J. Gillett

“Okay, let me think…Whose going to church with me this morning? Think Grandma, think!

Jaylena? No, her dad just got out of the hospital.

What about Dallas she’s not doing anything this weekend?

Yeah and don’t forget Marissa, Aubrey, Brooke, Anthony, and Travis they should be around! Well duh grandma, they spent the night at your house just so they could go.

I wish Cody and Linda would come again! Oh dear, I’m going to have to make a schedule to put on the refrigerator for Sunday mornings!

I guess it isn’t any wonder why the ladies at the church make fun of me saying I need a bigger vehicle to accommodate my Bible Bus. No, no, no, “Grandma’s Bible Bus” they told me to call it.”

With my thinking session behind me and the road ahead of me it was “Ready ....Set…Go…” time to pray for the morning trip to church. As I spoke aloud for all to hear, I prayed for the preacher, the youth minister, the teachers, and students that God would be glorified in worship and praise through open hearts and obedient minds. That what was taught would be received. What was prepared could be used in our Christian walk throughout the week.

It doesn’t matter if we are 50, 5, 7, 8, 10 or 14 Jesus told us to go out and make disciples. My definite vision for Grandma’s Bible Bus to spark the beginning, to plant the seeds, to start as Jesus started making disciples or followers out of those willing to go after Him unconditionally.

When you read about it in the Bible, disciples were a necessary part of getting His message out to the people He came to deliver both literally as well as spiritually. It was a recruitment that had no end and my car load of kids over 2000 years later is only an extension of the recruitment center Jesus started. From the original twelve it now includes millions of Christians serving the same purpose answering to the same Lord. What a better place to start but with our youth.

As we live in a world so full of temptations and traps set out by Satan to snare any of us it’s important we prepare our kids for the journey ahead. God didn’t create us to be like the birds who kick their young ones out of the nest early on. Chirping loudly “figure it out for yourself how to fly! You’re on your own.” No, how dare we send our youth out into the world without 1^st teaching them who they should follow and how it’s to be done.

Our job is to send them forward to Christ to be the followers God would have them be. Totally capable of recognizing the voice of God so when He says, “Come,” they are ready to go. As ready to go as the original twelve, who like Matthew, didn’t hesitate to leave all, rise up and follow when Jesus said, “come.” Fully instructed on how to use the owner manual we come with, the Bible to guide and direct them. Equipped with the skill of prayer and ability to sort out the truth God stands for against the lies of the enemy.

Young or old, drop-out, or high school diploma, first grade or 12^th we need to do this for our kids as they are taught how to live out the standards Jesus set for His disciples from the very beginning. Qualities such as placing Christ as number one in their lives, giving Him top priority in all they say and do. Inviting Him into their hearts to be a part of the sports they play, the dates they go on, the choices they make on a day-to-day basis. Demonstrating in their lives the willingness to forfeit everything to follow Christ and join His recruitment to save the lost and feed His sheep. Demonstrating that choice in the fruit they bear, the way they act, the attitude they display all to the glory of Jesus.

It doesn’t mean our youth or even the older generation are exempt from moments of failures and shortcomings. We saw that with the original twelve who stumbled along the way in their thinking and faith. The important thing is to learn how to come back from our failures and learn from them. At times we’re going to find ourselves fishing out of the wrong side of the boat like the originals disciples did. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t be effective for Christ, a vital lesson for our youth to be taught.

Christianity without Christ is Christianity without discipleship and vise versa. Once we get this formula in our hearts we realize as a whole it’s not about being religious it’s about following Christ. Therefore, the vital job of the church is to be a launch pad for creating true bona fide disciples for Christ instead of an entertainment center that seeks a yearly quantity of converts.

Discipling and teaching our youth how to follow Christ sends a strong message to them that says, “lets grow together, lets learn together. Together lets rise up, leave all, and follow Christ, no questions asked.”

Especially not the question Peter asked in Matthew 19:27-29 when he said, “We have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” The answer he got is still the answer we get today when Jesus said, “You will receive a hundredfold what you gave up and inherit eternal life.” It’s not about us and what we get out of it. We get eternal life with Him. That right there should be enough to recruit anyone.

Ready….Set……Go!