There are occasions in which our questions, even if not fully answered, are themselves meant to instruct. For example:
If "the harvest truly is great," and if God is concerned for the lost ("not willing that any should perish"), why then were the Twelve instructed to "Pray the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth laborers into His harvest" (Matt. 9:37,38; II Pet. 3:9)? Does the Almighty require our prompting in order to serve the interests of His will? Or, does He act only pursuant to our authorization? Two thoughts emerge here:
1.) Despite our oftentimes limited understanding as to the outworking of divine purpose, God yet chooses to work in conjunction with His people. The apostle accordingly sees himself and others of apostolic era ministry as "laborers together with Him" (I Cor. 3:9; II Cor. 6:1) while, conversely, Mark's Gospel sees, "the Lord working with them" (Mark 16:20).
This is further observable in Christ's commissioning of the Twelve to "heal the sick," (the understood subject being "you" - "you heal the sick," Matt. 10:8; cf. Matt. 10:1). At the same time, healing of the sick is attributed to the working of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38; I Cor. 12:7-11; James 5:14,15, etc.). Given such, Paul is said to have healed a man (Acts 28:8) while, in similar exercise of ministry, Peter denies the exercise of personal resource or prerogative (Acts 3:12; 4:10).
The principle is found throughout Scripture. Egypt's plagues constitute the "stretching forth of God's hand." At the same time, their manifestation occurs in consequence of Moses' "stretching forth his rod" (Ex. 3:20; chs. 7-14). Again, the devastating drought of Elijah's day will occur "according to my [i.e., the prophet's] word" (I Kings 17:1) while, in final analysis, all is attributable to "Your word" (I Kings 18:36)), etc.
2.) Perhaps of equal importance is the fact that in praying for laborers to be sent into the harvest, one's own heart may become sensitized to personal opportunity and/or calling in the serving of such need.
Do we necessarily understand it all? No, nor need we. The "divine mechanics" attendant divine will are not ours to determine. Our role is to petition the Father for laborers.
Burl Ratzsch
