harvesting sheep?

Matthew 9:35-38

This is a summary statement of this stage of Jesus' ministry: travelling, teaching and healing. The motivation for his ministry is seen in verses 36-38: Jesus cares about the people and he has a sense of urgency in his mission (the harvest is ready to be brought in but there are not enough workers).
There are two word pictures in this passage. Matthew uses the picture of sheep that are being harrassed by a wolf or dog and there is no shepherd to give them protection or direction. Jesus uses the picture of produce that is ready to be harvested. However, there are few workers and the produce is in danger of rotting or being wasted.
The main point is that there is an urgency to the work that I have been called by Christ to do. People are frantic, harrassed and helpless. They lack security and direction. They need to hear the good news message of Christ so they can respond and have purpose for their life. People are desperate to hear the message and are ready to respond but there are so few people who are sharing that message with them. There are so few who are willing to invest the time, relational energy and love. There are so few who genuinely care for them enough to journey with them to Christ.
The application? According to Jesus it is to pray that God would send more people to listen to the hurting and harrassed and to share with them the good news message of Jesus that God loves them, that there is forgiveness for sins and restoration to God, and that there is no longer a need for religion - each person can have direct access to God through Christ.