A friend of ours owns a nursing home. Her main job is finding workers to fill the schedule that is necessary to meet the needs of the facility. To begin with, there is an overall shortage of qualified workers. So from the beginning, her work is cut out for her. From a limited number of workers, she must fill the shifts.
It would be one thing if the arranged schedule could be reliable; but it really isn’t even expected to be. For an endless number of reasons workers will call in to say they can’t make it. With an already short list of available workers, you can imagine the logistical strain this creates.
You would think that with the economy being the way it is that there would be more workers than necessary for the available work. But for some reason, it is just the opposite. There is much work but few who want to do it.
Sometime in the night last night – during one of my awake times – I made the connection. Isn’t that exactly the strain that Jesus must be under? There is much work and many are actually on an arranged schedule. But for an endless number of reasons, many who are scheduled call in to say they can’t make it.
In relation to these thoughts, I thought of a verse that many are familiar with. “The harvest is indeed plentiful but the workers are few”. There was a time when I questioned that. “Everybody has heard”, I thought. “There is no need of me telling them again”. So that became my excuse for not working – the reason I gave for not being able to make it.
But the truth is there is a need of telling them again. We all will get distracted from what we know to be true if we are not reminded of what is true. A patient in a nursing home doesn’t receive care once; they receive it on a regular basis. They must receive it on a regular basis. And so it is with people and their believing. They must be reminded on a regular basis of what they are supposed to be believing; otherwise they will get sidetracked in their believing.
I like the other part of that verse; “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest”. I think it is good for us to ask God to show us what we can do. Not just once or twice, but to ask until He shows us. We’re already on the schedule. He wants to show us where we fit in. But at the same time He wants us to be dependable.
I know the owner is thankful for a few who are very dependable. They have settled the issue. They know there is work that needs to be done. They understand their role. And I think that is part of it. We need to understand our role. We need to know the work He has called us to. And then we simply need to become faithful in doing it.
So ask and don’t quit asking. If you ask and don’t quit asking, you prove your determination to work; and why, when ‘the harvest is indeed plentiful’, would He not be all over you to show you where He has you scheduled.
Hunger and Thirst 
Mike, this really gripped me and the way you share it, comparing it to the nursing home, really helps us understand.There was a song awhile back, that told about how it might take someone hearing the gospel 15 times ( or however many) and we don’t know if we are number 3 or 13, or if perhaps it will be on this time that they hear, they will believe. This also explains why we need to hear again and again, even when we do believe. Thank you and God bless you as you stir us up to do the work we are scheduled to do.
p.s. I received my book and am thrilled. It’s so good and like the last time, is speaking to me right where I am right now. Praying that it gets into the hands of all that He intends it to! Thank you!
I wish we were not so slow to learn. Not sure why that is. I know I could have saved myself a lot of wasted years.
I hope you enjoy the book. Don’t know if you were commenting back when I was writing it or not. But even if you were, and as you point out, it is good for us to be reminded. I know I have to read it myself to even remember what I wrote. Crazy.
I think I am most excited about the things I am writing now. They will eventually be the contents of my 4th book which will be called ‘The Fight of Faith’. That seems to be the message the Lord is making clear to me. It is most helpful when talking with the guys. They need to hear it. But then, we do to. Paul did all he could do to keep believers believing. He told how important it was to put on the armor. Personally, he pressed and strained toward the mark. It is just all quite simply a fight.
I was tempted to sign off here; but one more point first. There are two areas of fighting. One, we fight to keep our personal faith in tact. Like Paul trying to keep believers believing. There is a lot that works against us to keep us from believing that God is for us and not against us. Then there is the area of believing God for something; for example with Aubrey. It is a fight to keep believing. It doesn’t come easy . . . but it does come if we fight. I was glad to hear that she has been seizure free for awhile. But if she has another one, we just fight a little more. The enemy will eventually admit defeat. He will get tired and move on to where there is less resistance.
Now I can sign off.
Thanks again, and God bless you!
Great post, Mike! I got your book the other day and have enjoyed reading it! God bless you and your ministry.
Mike,
This one is close to home. I always kind of look for the excuse to be busy with some other stuff while the harvest go unnoticed in the fields. Awake up for me personally.
Blessings to you and yours!
Gladwell