Job was one of the Lord's most faithful workers. The Lord permitted Satan to take away almost all of Job's riches, kill his ten children, and give Job a life-threatening, painful disease (Jb 1:12ff). Even if the Lord later gave Job twice as much as he had lost (Jb 42:10), no wonder the Lord's workers are few (Lk 10:2).
The Lord sends out His workers "as lambs in the midst of wolves" (Lk 10:3). He tells them to take nothing with them and to live from moment to moment, trusting Him for everything (Lk 10:4). No wonder the Lord's workers are few.
The crucified Lord promised us that we, His disciples and co-workers (1 Cor 3:9), would be persecuted as He was persecuted (Jn 15:20; 2 Tm 3:12; Mt 5:11). Under these conditions, no wonder few are willing to work.
Now Jesus is asking each of us to work for Him. He will reward us with the eternal happiness of heaven (see 2 Tm 4:8), but He doesn't put that much emphasis on it. He mostly talks about the cross. This ensures that each of us decides to work for Jesus out of love for Him. A wonder: workers for His harvest!
| PRAYER: | Father, may love impel me to work for You (see 2 Cor 5:14). |
| PROMISE: | "I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord." –Ps 27:13-14 |
| PRAISE: | Todd's ulcer was healed when he forgave his father. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College