Right where you are
Matt 9:36-38 - “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed & helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His Harvest Field.’” Good morning, Anne. The above passage captured the hearts of Ann & me when we were not even a year into our marriage & our new found relationship with Jesus. A “worker” (or “laborer”) is an everyday person who lives out their faith at home, at work, in their neighborhood, & with whomever else they rub shoulders with regularly — without being too weird or forced about it. In polls, more than 80% of believers came to faith over time, in the context of an authentic relationship with one of these “worker” type folks. They realize, mostly in hindsight, that the worker was praying for them & exercising “gentle intentionality” out of sincere love. In our Navigator Vision Statement, there is a phrase that captivates us: “We see workers for The Kingdom, next door to everywhere.” There are many Ann & I love who are NOT in our current geography. Some don’t have a relationship with Jesus yet, while others just need help growing in theirs, like we all do. More than anything else, I pray that someone in their regular orbit is a “worker” who loves people well, with Jesus. Father, please help Anne & me to BE workers with You, & to PRAY regularly for You to raise up more of them… everywhere.
Tom Bourke, Chicago Navigators, Dec 4, 2023
