Then [Jesus] said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:37-38).

Years ago, on a flight to Los Angelos, I read a book called Margin. The author, Richard Swenson, M.D., argued that we fill our lives too full. He used the image of the old blue lined paper used for writing. It also had pink lines creating margins. One did not write in the margins. He urged his readers to maintain margins in their lives. If this was a needed reminder in 2002, surely it is as necessary today. I don't think many of us have heeded his advise.

It's become such a norm for our schedules to be packed and for our attention to be pulled in many directions. This means we do not have time to notice the spiritual hunger in us or around us. But what if we made room?

What if we slowed down enough to listen – not just to sermons and podcasts but to the people in our everyday lives? Creating margin is not just about better time management or learning how to balance it all – it's a spiritual practice, a countercultural pursuit.

It's believing if we leave margin in our calendars, God will show us where He's already moving. It's replacing our fears of not doing enough with having the faith that Jesus has already finished the work of salvation and is presently doing more than we realize.

Someone once said, "You don't need to bring Jesus into your workplace – He's already there." What if we start praying that Jesus will help us join conversations he is already having with coworkers, neighbours, with strangers in line at the grocery store.

What if God is already at work in our everyday lives, waiting for us to notice?

This shift means intentionally creating space in our lives to pay attention to what God is doing. It could be taking a longer walk and praying as we go, asking God to open our eyes to someone who needs encouragement. It might mean setting aside an evening for inviting over a neighbour. It could look like asking the grocery clerk how their day is going and really listening to the answer.

God's mission doesn't need superstars. It needs people willing to be present daily. It's being attentive to the Spirit, available to others and being grounded in the belief Jesus is already leading the way.

When we create margin to join Jesus in His work, we may find the stagnation that sometimes dogs our Christian life starts to crack open with wonder. Conversations happen, stories emerge, relationships get kindled, and joy re-enters. We're no longer just surviving spiritually on our hamster wheels; we begin to thrive as we participate in harvesting adventures far bigger than ourselves.

So, as we take Jesus at His word, let's ask the Lord of the harvest to send us, and let's slow down enough to follow Him. Not just in the rush of church activity, but in the quiet courage of everyday presence.

Because the harvest is plentiful, and Jesus is already there.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Wherever God takes you today, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Galatians 5:1-12. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!

To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca

Dive In

1. What things have you added to Christ? Things you thought you needed to do t win God's favour or stay in his favour? What yokes have you grabbed? What effects have they had on your life?
2. What difference does your future hope make to your life now? How can you make sure you meditate on your glorious future more often? What practical steps will you take?
3. What does it mean to be truly human? What are we freed from? What are we freed for?
4. Why do we lose our ability to love? What should we do when our love wanes?

[Israel] has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold—which they used for Baal," [says the Lord God Almighty] (Hosea 2:8).

Like last Friday's, this text ought to make us uncomfortable. At the very least, it should make us do some serious self-examination. A thing that Christians ought to do regularly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Again, Israel has been practicing all her religious rituals: the celebrations, festivals, Sabbaths, New Moons, etc. (2:11). From the outside, God's people look very religious. They are doing their thing.

However, their hearts are not in it. It's not that they aren't feeling God's presence; its that they have no desire to feel God's presence. The religious rituals God prescribed were intended for the people to give God thanks for his blessings, to publicly recognize that life and wellbeing were all a gift from his hand. Israel's festivals and celebrations were opportunities to give God thanks for these things and to rejoice in their covenant relationship.

Instead, the people had decided that it was really Baal who had blessed them with all these things. The took the things God gave them and offered them to Baal in thanksgiving. We should not read this text as an opportunity to turn our noses up at Old Testament Israel or to fill our hearts with pride, believing we behave better.

It's the weekend. In our culture, weekends are frequently filled with self-absorption. We have done a hard week's work, now we deserve some down time. This is also true of church life. Various movements over the past decades have reduced church to an event that 'I like.' If I don't like it, I'll find a church I do like. It's about what we humans like and don't like.

Israel was meant to gather to thank God and renew her covenant relationship with him. They gathered to acknowledge that they had broken covenant. They came to receive God's grace and to be renewed in their covenant commitment. This should also be at the heart of Christian worship as we renew our life in Christ.

This does not mean that we cannot rest or relax. Rather, it invites us into a rest that produces covenant renewal; that renews our relationship with God and our commitment to his ministry of reconciliation in this world. It's not likely that any of us worship a Baal god. Our temptation is to worship ourselves and to think so highly of ourselves that we think God owes us good things. He ought to make our lives easier.

Christian worship ought to humble us. As we lift our praises to God, we come to realize again how great he is and how small we are. So go worship this weekend, come worship the God of the Bible. Give him thanks for what we have received from him. He is our generous creator and sustainer. Come and be reconciled to him through Christ and join hands with others in worship – before him we are all equal.

As you journey on, hear Jesus' invitation:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).