Matthew 9:35–38 ‘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.”’ (vv37–38)
Tomorrow we move from prayer to mission. The two are intimately linked since mission is born from prayer. Indeed, as we mission we also pray. Mission is God’s love shared in a broken world. We pray for workers to go out and reap a harvest of those hungry for God’s grace. This request appears to suggest numerical increase, yet Jesus didn’t rapidly expand His team. So it’s best understood as a prayer for each disciple to become more engaged in carrying the gospel to family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. For as our godly love and service grows, so we seek to invite others to meet with the risen Lord.
One way we can put our faith to work in the different spheres of society is by training as a chaplain. The word itself is drawn from an incident involving a Roman soldier, Martin of Tours. Around 337 in Amiens, France, he noticed a poor man in rags and drew his sword to divide his military cloak in half and gave one half to a shivering beggar in the freezing cold. capella is the Latin for ‘little cloak’. The role of the chaplain is to share what they have with someone in need. To equip those serving, or looking to serve, in a broad range of community or church-based settings to prepare people for practical and effective mission. Full- or part-time, this is a great form of mission.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Ps. 121; 126:3–6; John 14:1–21; Col. 2:6–15.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: Is it time for you or someone you know to train as a chaplain?
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, teach me to share what I have found in God generously with others as I embark on mission. Amen.’
