Month of Sundays: Time

Take great care, then, how you live–not unwisely but wisely, Making the most of every opportunity; for these are evil days. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Many years ago, my family business established a branch operation in West Palm Beach, Florida. We built a facility and lined up personnel to operate it. We also brought in people from other facilities to help set things up.

Across the street was a company called “U and Me Transfer and Storage,” who was helping to get the equipment into the new place. Unfortunately no one told the out of town people who “U and Me” were. When the plant manager went on and on about “U and Me will bring this in,” and “U and Me will set that up,” one man threw up his hands and said, “When’s you and me going to find time to do all of this?”

That is frequently the way things go in the church. Jesus promised that “For where two or three have come together in my Name, I am present with them.” (Matthew 18:20), and when work is to be done, too often that’s it! We know the time is short to do God’s work, but too often our churches fulfill another one of Jesus’ statements: “The harvest…is abundant, but the laborers are few.” (Luke 10:2a)

That’s why it’s important to disciple and train as many people as possible to do God’s work. We need to ask God first to send those our way, and then we need to disciple and prepare them for the work that needs to be done. We frequently skip that step, putting them to work before they have been discipled, but Jesus invested much of his earthly ministry in the preparation of his disciples. Can we do any less?

Therefore pray to the Owner of the harvest to send laborers to gather in his harvest. (Luke 10:2b)

Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Faith of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)