"The 72 Others"

"There were 12 disciples, Jesus called to help Him:  Simon Peter, Andrew, James, his brother John..."

 and so on goes the Sunday School song.

These 12 were eventually sent out, 2 x 2, by Jesus, to do their mission work.  There is great focus on them and their exploits, as there should be.  However, "The 72 Others" were given identical mission marching orders (compare Luke 9 and 10).  They too had great success.

After that, we do not hear much about them.  Perhaps they were among the ones who "were offended by him and no longer walked with Him" (John 6:66).  Scripture doesn't specify.  Sad if they were.

Yet we do know this is the case, even today.  Some show wonderful potential of allowing their faith to govern them for the long haul--'til Jesus comes or He take them Home ahead of the rest of us.  However,  should they become offended at someone or something and are unwilling to forgive, they could well turn away and no longer walk with God.  Sad, but true.  May we look to the Lord Jesus, focus on Him, and follow Him all our days.

That, however, is not the tangent I wish to follow in this blog entry.  Even in the past two or three centuries there have been those brothers (& sisters)-in-Christ who have gone about teaching and preaching around the world and have become "giants of faith", honoring and glorifying God the Father by bringing Jesus Christ to individuals and to the nations in one form or another; the late Billy Graham was an exemplary example.

I do NOT mean to demean Graham's example even one tiny bit of an iota by what I say next.  This is similar to the 12 disciples and "The 72 Others".  Even among the 12, some were more well-known but they each had been named.  Of "The 72 Others", we do not have even one name, as far as I can ascertain.

The point is, there are 1000's of missionaries who have answered "the call" to go out into all the world and preach the gospel.  Some we do get to know by name, if not personally:  Jim Elliot; Amy Carmichael; Hudson Taylor; Adoniram Judson; Lottie Moon; Benny Prasad.  Most others we do not know nor have we heard of; for instance, have you ever heard of Hope Hurlbut or John Burke? I have in my experience.  They've both gone to be with Christ now after a lifetime of patient harvesting for the Lord.  The results of their respective labors linger on...

You all can likely name a few too.  Yet whether or not we know who they are, God does, and they continue to faithfully labor on for the Lord because they know Him.  They want to love, honor, cherish and serve Him with their numbered days.

Do you?

Maybe you are not a "go-er" but a "sender".  Maybe you labor at a secular job, earn $$$ so you can help the one who "labors in the field" either at home or abroad.  Perhaps that is your call from and for God.  Whichever, may all be faithful to your calling whether or not you become well-known, or "lost in the shuffle"; our Heavenly Father knows where He can find you.

Jesus asked His 72 disciples to pray for harvesters.  Here's how Luke 10:2-3 (ESV) tells it...

"And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...Go your way..."

Pray for harvesters but also go...

I've had the privilege of watching CD's of Little House On the Prairie, season after season, with my children as they were growing up.  One of them, chuckling, noted that the favorite song that the Walnut Grove folks sang in church was "Bringing in the Sheaves".  


In a community where most families had to be self-sufficient by growing their own crops, they really had to put their back to the plough with immense effort to bring in the sheaves.  May God bless you, and all you do for Him.  As "The 72 Others" were admonished by Jesus, rejoice.  He's got your name written in His book of Life.  He knows exactly who you are.

Happy Harvesting, Harvesters! 

                                                          ~ERC  May 2019~

Guess which song I wish to share here?

Bringing In the Sheaves, written by Knowles Shaw who was inspired by Psalm 126:6 and this rendition sung by isbaptist Toronto.