Command and Duty Jesus commands his disciples to pray earnestly for God to save people from sin and judgement. It is our duty, therefore, to pray earnstly for God to save people from sin and judgement.
Matthew 9:35–38 ESV
"And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [37] Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; [38] therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'”
Pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. God is in charge of the harvest. But he harvests using laborers. He sends his worker, his disciples into the field to get the work done.
The field is the world of lost people. The harvest is those who are saved from sin and judgement out of the world. The harvest is those who hear the good news of Jesus' death, resurrection, and offer of salvation, and who repent and believe in Jesus for eternal life, the forgiveness of sins. This is salvation in Christ Jesus.
Why Do We Not Pray Earnestly
Why do we not consistenly pray earnestly for this? For God to send out laborers? For a fruitful harvest? For God to save people from sin and judgement and grant them eternal life through faith in Jesus? It is probably some combination of the following reasons, each one requiring repentance.
1. Perhaps we do not want God to save others. Or at least, we definitely do not want others to be saved as much as God does. We should pursue the heart and will of God on this.
2. Perhaps we want God to save others, but we do not believe that prayer works. Now this is probably the case for most of us. We have a hard time believing that our prayers are really, truly an integral part of how God saves people. But they are. God uses prayer. God answers prayer. Your prayers are a genuine part of how God "gets things done" on earth.
3. Perhaps we want God to save others, and we believe that prayer works, but we've grown lazy and forgetful. I assume this is the case for all or most of us as well. Repentance is needed. Divine intervention is what we need. We need a work of grace in us so that we would deeply desire a work of grace in others.
Therefore, Pray
Therefore, let us commit ourselves to repentance and pray. Let us pray earnestly for the Lord of the harvest of salvation to send out workers and reap a bountiful harvest of souls for his own glory and name in the world.