The strong desire to spread the gospel characterized faithful Christians in the first century. In Acts 8:4 the disciples in Jerusalem were persecuted and went everywhere preaching the word. In Philippi they helped Paul in preaching the good tidings of Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:15). We may even say that in difficult times the gospel has spread, not just in spite of persecution, but because of persecution.
In John 4:35, our Lord instructs His disciples to “lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.” In Luke 10:2, Jesus tells 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.” Can we think we may pray this and then not be willing to labor in His harvest ourselves? The Lord’s field is not only in some foreign country so many thousands of miles away from home, with a different language or oppressive laws — the harvest where you need to labor may be in your own front yard.
Whatever our circumstances, we can take advantage of them for the advancement of the gospel. When life is comfortable and easy, we can use it to tell others about the great things the Lord has done; When life is difficult and painful, we can use it to tell others about what great things the Lord has done. (Mark 5:19-20)
Consider in the Old Testament when the prophet Isaiah is asked by the Lord, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” and Isaiah immediately responds, “Here an I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
Do we have the same attitude, the same zeal, and the same conviction those first disciples had? If we understand what God has done for us and what He asks of us, we should. The Christ who died for us came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10) — do we dare have a different attitude than our Lord?
— Stefan Richardson
There is much to do, there’s work on ev’ry hand,
(W.M. Spencer, 1893)
Hark! The cry for help comes ringing through the land;
Jesus calls for reapers, I must active be,
What wilt Thou, O Master? Here am I, send me.
There are hung’ring souls who cry aloud for bread,
With the bread of life they’re longing to be fed;
Shall they starve and famish while a feast is free?
I must be more faithful,
Here am I, send me.