10:02 Prayer

Our country is currently plagued with a worker shortage. It is hard to walk into a store or restaurant that does not have a “help wanted” sign.

This leads to reduced hours that businesses are open. Longer waits in line to be served. And fewer products available for purchase. It negatively affects all of us. The work is plentiful, but the workers are few!

Similarly, Jesus said there is much kingdom work to be accomplished, but there are few workers. When we look at the world around us, there seem to be so many problems. There is:

• poverty
• hunger
• illness
• violence
• divisiveness
• abuse
• addiction
• grief

All these things are so overwhelming to think about. Meeting these needs is beyond any individual. This is the work of the kingdom. But a big reason that these problems continue to exist is because the kingdom workers are few. We think that someone should do something about it. But who?

This is why Jesus says.

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2, ESV)

None of us could meet all the problems of the world. But Jesus does give us something to commit ourselves that will make a difference. That is prayer!

There are few things Jesus teaches us specifically to pray. But this is one! Pray for laborers for the harvest.

Furthermore, he tells us to pray this prayer “earnestly.” That means to regularly pray this prayer with zeal.

Last Sunday, I encouraged my congregation to set the alarm on their phones for 10:02 to pray what Jesus urges us to pray in Luke 10:02. I call it the 10:02 prayer. I want to encourage you to do the same! Do it now and set the alarm to repeat each day.

Praying this prayer is the first thing we can do to answer his call as kingdome workers. And as we pray this prayer for the global work of the kingdom, I am convinced that God will begin to show you the individual and local kingdom impact that he is calling you to make.