A-rice Labourers
By Pastor Mitch
April 23, 2013
A-RICE LABOURER
This picture was taken at a coffee house over-looking acres of rice fields in Bali. I was taking a few photos of this lone labourer working the fields when he suddenly looked at me and smiled. According to Indo.com, Rice, to the Balinese, is more than just a staple food. It is an integral part of their culture. The rituals of planting, maintaining, irrigating, and harvesting rice enrich the cultural life of Bali. They do not just live on it. They live by its endless cycles of rice cultivation. It is quite staggering to see only one labourer working in this huge field of padi. It must be back-breaking work for him to work the fields alone. This scene reminds me to two things. Firstly, it is the primary school song that I use to sing at Rosyth. “Planting rice is never fun. Bent from morning to set of sun. Cannot stand and cannot sit. Cannot rest a little bit”. Wow! I still remember the words of this song. Secondly, this scene reminds me of the words of the Lord Jesus concerning how there are still so few labourers in the harvest field. We need more labourers to “a-rice”
THE CHALLENGE TO PRAY FOR MORE LABOURERS
One man cannot alone do this work of soul-winning. In the text of Matt. 9:35, Matthew recorded for us the extensive work that Jesus was involved in. He went to all the cities of Galilee teaching and preaching the gospel of the gospel. When the Lord Jesus saw the multitude, He was deeply moved with compassion for them. Young people do you have compassion for those who are still lost? They are like sheep having no shepherd. The Lord Jesus said these words to His disciples.
“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.” Matt. 9:37-38
The Lord emphasised that the harvest fields is indeed great. When the harvest is ready, the labourers need to act quickly to harvest the crops. If they do not, some of the harvest field may be spoilt. This is indeed a dilemma that we see in the work of the Lord today. There is a great contrast between the harvest and the labourers. The labourers are just so few. How can the few labourers reap the great harvest? Much could be lost. Our challenge is to feel a deep personal need to pray that the Lord would send out for labourers to the harvest field. Many are still lost and without the Lord Jesus in their life. They can be lost forever. Let’s put in even more prayer effort to the Lord of the harvest for labourers who would rise up to this call of labouring for Him. Let’s also consider about being that labourer that the Lord can send out. Perhaps, He would send you out to serve Him one day. Let’s pray and do all we can to rise up to be that labourer for His harvest.
