#PrayerPerspectives

Prison Fellowship Thailand ministers to Thailand's massive prison population—the world's sixth largest. They've reached 30,000 prisoners in six years. In partnership with PFI, they aim to significantly expand Gospel access.

'Then he 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

Hearing from the prayer needs of PF Thailand as they share about their concerns & struggles, I can't help but see a general pattern in many of the National Ministries, where there is an overwhelming need for volunteers. I wonder if the people are not volunteering because they have a different definition of what a harvest is, from what we see in Matthew 9. Because as human as we are, we may not want to sow into what we do not deem as good harvest.

I believe not everyone will see the goal of relationships-mending, justice-seeking, hearts-transforming as a harvest. Not all will see action in compassion as a goal, perhaps because of the vision and long term efforts required for transformation. Many might look for short term harvest, quick fix and fast goals. This however, may result in disciples who plant a different type of seeds, bringing a different kind of harvest. Some might be motivated by the numbers game and seek to corporately increase an organisation or church size and strength on paper, others might also see finances and income as a marker for success. And if we are driven by these, then the seeds we plant are very different. The places we choose to put in our time, effort, and energy, would not be places of relationships-mending, justice-seeking, hearts-transforming.

If we see the passage in Matthew 9, Jesus was referring to sowing through compassion. He was at this point reaching out to the sick, the paralysed, the lost. It is my deepest prayer therefore, that the Lord will continue to encourage and change hearts, especially of those who are serving and leading. It is essential to be reminded that, in the regard of stewarding God's Kingdom on Earth like a corporate organisation, there is no fault in order, in structure, in systems, all these machineries and working parts making sure things are running well. But there is an issue when the motivation is not compassion and love, but ruling, power, and man-made order.

Let us serve out of compassion and love in our hearts. Even as we exist in systems, let us keep our eyes on restoration, relationships, and the returning of hearts to the Lord. All glory to Him.

Written by Anthony Peh (Regional Coordinator) as he gets a glimpse of the global impact of Prison Fellowship International.