Laboring in the Field

Posted by Dion Todd December 25th, 2021 3,908 Views 0 Comments

Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come. Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest." Luke 10:1'2 WEB.

I grew up cropping tobacco. We walked along the rows and broke the ripened yellow leaves off, then slapped them under our arm. We were usually covered up to our shoulders in layers of tobacco gum and dirt by the early afternoon. A tractor pulled a trailer, called a "tobacco drag," along a nearby path. When you had all the tobacco you could carry, you made your way to the drag and stacked it on until it became full.

The drag loaded with tobacco leaves was taken to the barn of the day, where it was sewn onto sticks using a long machine called a stringer. Then the tobacco sticks were hung on the rafters inside the barn and heated with propane burners for a few weeks. Until the tobacco had lost about eighty percent of its weight. Then we stripped it off the sticks, tied it in huge burlap bags, and took it to the auction to sell.

The tobacco cropping season came during July and August in the South, the hottest part of summer. When you bent down between the rows of tobacco, there was no wind at all. The croppers would often struggle through the intense southern heat. A layer of sticky gum would get on your arms, then the sand from the leaves would stick to that. It built up until you were covered in something resembling black tar. It was also highly water-resistant and very difficult to wash off.

Sometimes the croppers became sick, partly from the heat and partly from the diesel fumes of the tractor settling over the area. They would often begin vomiting, falling out, leaving the rest of us to carry their row. We would make it through the day, but it was rough. We sure could have used some more help.

There is a great harvest in the kingdom of God starting to happen, but the true laborers are few, and the work is difficult. We are approaching the greatest harvest of all time. Yet, many of those in the field have been tired, hurt, sick, discouraged, or passed on. Who is going to step up and fill their shoes? Isaiah said: "Here I am, send me!" (Isaiah 6:8), and God sent him. Wherever you are, pray for more laborers. We could really use some help in the field today.

Interestingly, Jesus sent the laborers out ahead of Him to the places He was about to visit. In my life, I have always wanted to be where the revival was but usually ended up being somewhere else while it happened. The laborers prepare the way for the Lord to come. They go ahead of Him into the fields. So if you are a laborer, know that your work is not in vain. For we are preparing the way for the Lord of the harvest to come.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You so much for all that You do for me. Please put those I can reach in my path and give me the words to speak them. Fill me with boldness and Your passion for the lost. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

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