We are chosen!

 "Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."

Matthew 9:35-38

Growing up in church, these are pretty common verses. It wasn't until recently that I was re-reading them, and realized something I hadn't seen the first time I'd read them.

Jesus was surrounded by the sick, the poor, and the needy. The first thing He DID was look to the disciples. And He asked them to pray.

I had to stop for a minute and think about how I pray. Are my prayers problem-centered, or promise-centered? Am I selfish in nature, or compassionate for the needs of those around me? How I pray reflects how much I BELIEVE about God. I could do a lot better in this area, and as a nation, I think we all could. I hope you pause to ask yourself the same things I did.

Back to the verses above:

What's even more surprising than Jesus asking the disciples to pray, is what Jesus told them to pray FOR. You'd expect Him to see the multitudes and tell the disciples to pray for them, but instead he told the disciples to pray for more workers, for the church. He didn't say to pray for the lost, but for the church.  It's as if His concern wasn't that the lost wouldn't come to Him, He knew they would. He was concerned that the "workers" (the church) wouldn't go to the lost.  how humbling.

Here's where I stop and ask myself: How well of a "job" are we doing as a church? As a "body" of believers? Most people say the reason they don't believe in God is because of others' behaviors who say they do. What have you done to help out God's "team?" What more could we be doing? I've had a busy summer of doing God's work, and I'm SO glad to be chosen for that. God has blessed me in my obedience, but I continue to see areas I can grow in.

Sometimes I wonder if other professed "believers" ever feel that way. Are they striving to try harder, to live differently, to proclaim boldly, to give generously. If you're claiming to be part of this team, the chosen generation, then BE. Be apart of it. Or don't. There is no in between. Jesus didn't just kind of die for you, so we could just sort of live for Him. He died. He rose. He lives. There is no gray area. Jesus asked the disciples to pray for the church, not those in need. How scary.

"For you are a chosen people.

You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession.

 As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

We were chosen for this. :D

Redeemed, JAS. <3