You will get to gather ...

Hear the word of God:

Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something."

But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about."

"Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other.

Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe* for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, 'One plants and another harvests.' And it's true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest."
John 4:31-38

I remember it well. I was flying to Guyana for the first time, and actually for the first time, period. I was 19 years old and had never left the state of Arkansas by myself before. We were going on a medical mission trip. When we reached our destination, I was to be one of the teachers. We were to sit down and study with the people as they waited in line to see the doctor. I remember having so many feelings. I thought that my heart was going to explode out of my chest. We had spent close to 3 months studying different things, and going through the gospels and the book of Acts as a mission team. We studied the culture of Guyana, we studied each other, and how we would work together. We did all the preparation for this moment.

I learned so many things, but one of the most important was to make sure I had some nice quiet time to be with God. Our leader would tell us that we needed to go off by ourselves and prepare for the day. I stepped away from the group and just sat down beside three goats that were tied up behind the school we were using. I prayed a very honest prayer. "God help me, I don't know what I am doing. Give me the words to say, please!"

When I came back to the line, they had already started studying. They brought over the first person. Her name was Daphne. She was 20 years old and a practicing Hindu. We studied about sin and about salvation. We talked about her faith, we talked about mine, and why I would even want to come down to Guyana. We talked about Jesus and how much he loves us. After around an hour and a half, she finally said that she believed. She wanted to give her life to Jesus.

I was shocked. The first person I studied with wanted to become a Christian. We prayed and she and I both spoke with our team leader. He then led us around to the front where they had a giant rain barrel set up filled with water. Daphne climbed in and I took her confession and then they told me just to have her hold her nose and push her straight down into the rain barrel. I did and when she came up, she was crying and so excited. I hugged her and totally felt AWESOME! God had used me, but I felt so insignificant. How did this happen?

That next day, she brought her entire family to study and to see the doctor. They all became Christians by the end of the week. We had a wonderful week filled with baptisms and amazing experiences. I was a changed person because of that trip. A year later, I received a letter from Daphne. She and her new husband were moving to be a part of a minister's training school. He is now the minister at a local church there in Guyana, and she is a loving and servant-hearted wife.

The harvest is ready in so many hearts. I felt so much joy that first day with that first baptism. I have been blessed in being a part of sharing my faith with so many others along the way, but I will never forget Daphne. We all have stories similar to this. We all have, and will, take part in many other stories of bringing lost souls to Jesus. The apostles were able to take part in that with Jesus right there; we can take part in it every day of our lives. If you feel as I did, that you are so insignificant and that you can't do it, then do what I was taught and what we have all studied about. Take a break and be by yourself with God. He wants to prepare you for the harvest that is about to come about all around you. Wake up and look around, the fields are ripe! What are you going to do?

Jason