A GAP

In Matthew 9 Jesus tells his disciples that "the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few". In the next chapter He sends out the twelve.

Sometimes as I look at the needs around us in Amador County--the smallest county in California--I am overwhelmed. I survey the needs in our own church body--just an average size congregation--and I wonder how we can minister to each need. There seems to be a huge gap between need and resources.

And then I am reminded of missionaries we support around the world who are crying for help because they are understaffed, often in places where people are begging to hear the good news of the gospel.

At Grace Fellowship we need children's workers (we have grown rapidly), men to "man" our ministries to other men, people to assist in the sound booth, someone to coordinate new ministries to young couples and college age (two other rapidly growing areas) . We need someone to babysit for a care group twice a week, someone to do some repair work at the church offices, and the list goes on.

I am convinced there are enough laborers here for the tasks. I see them every Sunday, people with giftedness who have yet to find their place of ministry and service.

This whole passage is set up, I think, by these words about Jesus. "When He saw the crowds He had compassion on them..." That was the motivation behind all the things He did as He preached the gospel and healed the sick.

We have to catch that compassion to even see the multitudes, to even care about the needs.

Have you seen the need? Does it matter to you? Are you willing to step forward and be a "worker" in a "plentiful" harvest? Let us know.