The Key is Prayer

The Key to the Master’s Orders

Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His Harvest. –Matthew 9:18

The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work- that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. They key is in following the Master’s orders- the key is prayer. (Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Oct. 16)

When I read this devotion, I had to read it again...and again. Work is defined by dictionary.com as: exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something. Synonyms for work are labor, toil and chore. When we use the word "work", the way it is commonly used today is above. Something that takes energy and time and produces something. 

There is a part of this devotion that really stuck out to me, and I believe Chambers was trying to point out that our idea of "work"causes us to shift our focus away from God because we are so focused on the task. I feel as though there has been a theme within these daily devotions that I have been reading about missionary work and that is, we are only God's tool. Just as a hammer cannot hammer a nail into a wall without a person holding the handle and applying the strength, guidance and precision, we too must rely on God's strength, guidance and precision in order to see people receive His gift. What a beautiful picture! We are tools, God is the Worker. And He knows what the finished product is suppose to be. Often times many nails are put in the wall to support different things or used to keep wood pieces together to make something. Only He knows what He's trying to hang or make. We don't get a say as to where the nail is driven. All we have to do is be there willing to do the work.

Willing, through prayer, we come to God and accept that His plan is perfect. We thank God for the opportunity to be used by His hands to be apart of something much greater than what we are "working" on. You see God is creating something beautiful and He needs willing tools to help. Through prayer we align ourselves with His plan, He gives us glimpses as to what He is creating and allows us to have a part in it. Through prayer we continually let go of our own attempts to "work". We can let go of wanting to come up with better ways to make the finished product and trust in God's wisdom to know that He knows exactly what He is doing and perfectly. 

When we "work", often times we get so rapped up in our own tasks that we forget that we are only called to focus our hearts and mind on God. Through prayer, everything else comes together exactly as it is supposed to be. That shift away from God makes us anxious, tired, and often times feeling alone. Once we have regained our trust in our Lord and point our eyes back on Him, all the anxiety, sleepiness and feelings of isolation subside and a renewed since of joy and excitement take over. Joy that leads to a servants heart and excitement to do His will, whatever that looks like.