Ask the Lord of the Harvest [Day One]

It rained all day! The Worship Quest Academy team: Dr. Robert Still, DWS,  Dr. Steven Brooks, DWS, and Prof. Esther Kim, MDiv. [DAY ONE PHOTO]

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

— Matthew 9:37–38

Time is Short 

Our time on the planet is short and sacred.

In the days leading up to our departure, this reality felt especially poignant.

Last Wednesday, Charlie Kirk’s shocking assassination gripped my attention. He was as bold and fearless as the Apostle Paul to proclaim Jesus as the answer our culture needs in this day and hour.

Then on Friday, I was leading worship for the last rites of a beloved mother for a dear family at our church. She finished a life well-lived and well-loved on Sunday.

Every day matters. Every moment to live, love, and serve is precious. No one knows how much time they have. I wrote about this in a song called Requiem, which I’ve sung at many funerals:

Tomorrow’s not promised

And life’s not a right

It’s a gift—to be cherished

And God’s ways are a mystery

Of tragedy and goodness

The Mystery of God’s Mission

One of God’s mysteries is that He not only calls us—apparently, He also needs us. So much so that Jesus, the Son of the Most High and Almighty Living God, instructed his followers to “pray earnestly” for the Lord to raise up laborers—workers to gather his harvest.

The harvest is plentiful. That means many people are ready to come to the Lord—if someone will help them and show them the way.

But the laborers are few.

A Dangerous Prayer

These words of Jesus cut to the heart. This is a dangerous prayer, because when you pray this prayer, it may be quite possible that you are the one God sends.

Jesus calls us simply: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people” (Matthew 4:19). This was a clear word from the Lord to me personally at a turning point in my mid-life years.

The call to follow and the invitation to be a partner in the Lord’s harvest is for all believers—not just a few professional Christians or missionaries.

Sent by the Spirit

In my dissertation, I wrote:

“The mission of God is not merely about going, but about being sent by Jesus in the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead.”

God is a missionary God, and only His Spirit can open hearts and minds. Yet He earnestly desires us to share in His work.

That’s why, in response to His call, we “go.” Like Isaiah, we can cry out: “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

Whether across the ocean or across the street, we are all called to join God’s mission.

Ask the Lord of the harvest. The only question is how God will answer—and how you will respond.

Prayer:

Lord of the harvest, raise up laborers in every culture, context, and country for Your mission of love. Here I am. Send me.

Real-Time Prayer Focus — Wednesday, September 17

We have been in Seoul for over 24 hours, although it feels like we just got here.

Praise Report

• Travel went well.

• Everything arrived safely.

• I’m in good health.

Update

• This morning we had team meetings and worked on music.

• In the afternoon, our host showed us the area.

• It rained all day. I lament that I did not pack my raincoat.

• Interesting tidbit: We had an authentic Korean lunch called Budae-jjigae (부대찌개), which means “army base stew.” [See photo below] It originated in the impoverished years following the Korean War, combining U.S. military processed meats like Spam, hot dogs, and beans with Korean spices and ramen noodles. Today it’s a popular Korean comfort food. I found it quite tasty.

Prayer Requests

• I’m just getting oriented here, and very tired from travel and jetlag.

• Trying to learn some Korean phrases.

• Team chemistry is very good.

• Pray for full recovery as we prepare for our upcoming ministry events.

Thank you for praying!

Our team enjoyed Korean "Army base stew" with our host, Dr. Jin-So