The Workers are Few

This devotional is written by Stephanie Beckford. Stephanie has been part of the St Mary's family for about 15 years. She is an Inviting Monster for the Life Course and is involved with serving the homeless and hosting Pamper Evenings at Bakhita House where women are trafficked in the sex trade. She enjoys ballroom dancing, cooking and baking.

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

As I rode the train to Kent for my UK 'staycation' August 2021, I could not help but notice the magnificent apple orchards as the train sped by. My thought was "these apples will need harvesting soon". If they are not harvested because of shortage of workers, they will fall to the ground and rot.

We are slowly emerging into life and some normalcy after the easing of lockdown restrictions and the Covid pandemic. We have all been impacted and have all experienced loss to some degree or another. Some of us are emerging worse than others. If people did not know or want to know Jesus before the pandemic, I think they will now.

Jesus went about all the towns and villages preaching and teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. He healed every type of disease and sickness. He was moved with compassion when he saw the multitude of people who were distressed and wandering like sheep without a shepherd because there was no one caring for their spiritual needs. They were spiritually hungry and in danger of perishing without the right person to care for their souls.

The pandemic has presented to us a bountiful harvest than ever before of such people Jesus encountered back then. Who will comfort them, lend a listening ear and show them compassion? If we don't see these people and act like Jesus, there is an enemy who opposes God's kingdom and will claim the harvest for himself.

On the way to work this morning, I saw a young lady trying desperately to get her trouser leg to cover her boots to no avail. I stopped her and offered to do it for her. She thanked me and said, "that is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me". Why?

Prayer: Lord of the harvest, raise us up, bestow upon us your grace and compassion and send us forth into the harvest field to gather these souls for your kingdom. Amen