Fall, or “harvest season,” is my favorite time of year, so I’ve been thinking a lot about the harvest these days.

Jesus thought about the harvest, too. In John 4:35, Jesus tells us the “fields are ripe for harvest.” Similarly, in Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus tells us “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” and that we need to pray for God to raise up harvest workers. In both, Jesus is talking about people who need to be saved, or a spiritual harvest. We don’t have to look very hard to see the many people who desperately need Jesus. It can even overwhelm us.

But look where Jesus goes next: He doesn’t tell us to get to work but rather to get on our knees. That’s where all our harvest work begins: in prayer. 

God loves to answer this prayer. I experienced it firsthand at a recent retreat for people preparing to become pastors. But the answer to the prayer is not just pastors: It’s all of us who know Jesus, all of us who say, “Here I am, send me.” Be ready! It is harvest season.