HELP WANTED! These two words can be seen posted outside of many local businesses around the country. It is a way that business owners hired people for years. They would post the sign; people would see it, come inside, and many times get hired on the spot. Business owners posted two simple words, and people responded. It worked. Boy, have times changed! Over the last couple of years, especially during the Covid pandemic, businesses were offering large sums of money as sign on bonuses. They were struggling to find anyone that was willing to help, no matter how badly help was needed.
Unfortunately, the same type of attitude of today that can be found in the business world has creeped itself into the Christian world and the church. There was a time when all a church would have to do is post a line in the bulletin saying, “Volunteers Needed!” and so many would respond that many would have to be turned away or given another place of service.
Within the church we find two different types of volunteers, passive and active. The passive volunteer says, “Here I am, Lord.” The next year he says it again, “Here I am, Lord.” Five years later you can find him saying the same thing, “Here I am, Lord”. Here is where he is at; here is where he was, and here is where he will always be. He has an idea that he feels as if he has to wait for God to show him some great supernatural sign, or he thinks that God is going to pick him up and transport him to where he wants him to be at.
The active volunteer is somewhat similar to the passive volunteer; one small difference sets the two of them vastly apart. It is the active volunteer that says, “Here I am, Lord, send me.” By faith he prays the closed doors to be opened. He learns to pray through personal hinderances. He asks God to help him overcome the obstacles and to help him overcome his lack of faith so that he is able to serve the Lord where God would have him to serve. He steps out on faith, and with the Lord’s strength and help, he actively serves.
We must remember that Satan will do everything he can do to hinder the work of God. If that means he needs to hinder volunteers; he will, and he does. There are many places of service for the Christian today. Jesus Himself said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
If our desire as Christians is “that all the earth may know,” then we are going to need some active volunteers to stand up and say, “Here I am Lord, send me.” Where do you fall in at? Are you a passive volunteer saying, “Here I am, Lord,” or are you an active volunteer saying, “Here I am Lord, Send Me”?
Understand that it is not just that help is wanted; help is desperately needed so that we may reach Tomah and beyond for Christ. Where will you be willing to serve so That All The Earth May Know?