Topic: The Readiness of the Harvest

Text: “You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest” John 4:35 [NLT]

Jesus directs the gaze of His disciples to the fields, declaring, “…But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.” Picture a field where grain, once green, has undergone a transformative journey from yellow to a light color, almost white in the sunlight. In the agricultural language of the time, a “white” field signified readiness for harvest – a moment when every delay could mean lost opportunity.

The issue is not that the fields are not ripe, or the souls unprepared. Rather, the problem lies in the reluctance of the laborers to venture into the fields and gather the harvest. Many have found every reason to delay and hesitant to respond to the call. A seasoned farmer will affirm that the harvest does not wait. When the time arrives, you either reap or risk losing the crops. Jesus, with a sense of urgency, addresses His disciples, “Men, we don’t have months to stall and wait for the harvest. The harvest is here, and it is ready for us.”

A genuine heart for the harvest means understanding the immediacy of the call. It involves looking at the lost world around us and recognizing the urgency to share the gospel. The harvest is ready, and the time to act is now. Let us embrace the responsibility of laborers in the fields of Soul. The fields are white, the souls are ready, and the call is urgent. May our hearts align with the directive of the Master, compelling us to go into the fields and gather the harvest that awaits. The readiness is apparent; the harvest is ready – it beckons for us to respond promptly.

Prayer:

• Ask the Lord to cause you to see the harvest even as He does.
• Ask the Lord to make your heart genuine and willing to serve His eternal purpose.
• Pray that the burden to reach the lost will overwhelm our Churches.

Samuel Ocheje,

Finance Manager, NEMA