Ripe for Harvest: Faith for the Reservations, Devo 7 - Monday Morning Devotion
This series focuses on praying for our Native American brothers and sisters, particularly those living on reservations.
[These devotions come from Jesus Culture's "Faith for Your City" Devotion Series with some alterations]
Need to start at the beginning? Read Week 1 here.
Ripe for the Harvest
Read: John 4
You have a saying, "four more months and then the harvest." But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are ripe and ready to be harvested! (John 4:35)
God has called us to reach as many people as possible with the Good News of Jesus, and the Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian hearts are hungry for it.
The past 500 years have been terrible for Native peoples. Families are broken. Societal problems, like alcoholism and abuse, are the norm. Suicide has reached epidemic proportions, particularly among the youth. This is a group of people who are desperate for the hope and peace that comes from faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus told his disciples, "The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. For the saying is true, 'Someone plants, someone else reaps.'" (John 4:36-37) There is a harvest just outside your door waiting for you to start. You might be the planter in your community starting the seed of faith inside the hearts of our Native brothers and sisters. Or you might be the harvester, working in the fields someone else started. Either way, we will all rejoice together in heaven.
It takes one step.
The crowds came to see Jesus and were captivated by His teaching. They were amazed at the ways He lived what He taught.
What they experienced in his presence was powerful and life changing, and word about Him traveled quickly from village to village. They flocked to Him. Jesus demonstrated God's love with one purpose so that they would see God's goodness and trust Him.
When we step out and demonstrate God's love by proclaiming the Gospel and assisting in the healing of the intergenerational pain of so many Natives, people will want to follow the One who empowers us. They'll want to seek His face and these testimonies will spread from village to village and reservation to reservation. They will point people to the cross and to salvation.
Prayer:
Jesus, help me to see the work that has already been done and to be prepared to harvest the field others have worked to plant. Fill me up so much that it overflows to the people of [my reservation/city]. Give me boldness to step out and work for your Kingdom to your glory.