After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 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 10:1-2, English Standard Version).

Jesus sent out his followers in pairs to prepare the way for his teaching and healing tour. Then he gave this interesting directive, to ask the Lord of the harvest for more workers. Jesus told them, and tells us, to pray to God for more missionaries. Why? Because people are ready to respond! Today there are plenty of people ready to follow Jesus. The lack is not money, or expertise or messaging; it’s people willing to go.

Most of the world is open to missions, maybe not every single place, but open it is. We have technology to help us get there, we have the ability to share our message, and while we often lack funding, that’s still not the primary issue. The main obstacle is that there remains a need for laborers for the harvest, just like when Jesus shared this request with his disciples so long ago.

Pray for committed men and women who will carry the gospel to the ends of the earth. As you pray, consider the radical idea that you might just be the answer to your own prayer. Maybe you’re the one missing from the labor pool. Is Jesus calling you to work in His harvest field?

As you ponder this proposition, pray for courage to follow wherever the Lord may lead.