Going Fishing

I am awe struck by My Lord and Savior today. I just completed the study of John and I have learned more than I could have ever imagined. Many things occurred during this study, and my faith grew for the Lord, My love and understanding grew of the Lord and my desires to live for Him, please Him and make disciples for Him grew as well. All in all, I stand in awe.

The book of John held a host of starring roles, one of which belonged to Peter, a simple fisherman with intense passion, blind faith and a strong willed heart. I adore Peter. He was so real, and yet he did fail quite miserably from time to time. I learned so much from Peter, and I wonder friends, if you also will as I explain some very amazingly beautiful things about life with this man they call Jesus.

It is said, that there is no great man who at one point has not failed miserably. Look at many noble, men of God who did in fact make big missteps in their life, and against God, and yet, they are still remembered as great men of God. Doesn't that give you hope? I know it does that for me. Peter was one of those great men, and I know I have spent a great deal of time lately discussing his person, so I won't beat a dead horse, but here is the scene from today that I learned..

Jesus has risen, and is appearing randomly to His disciples. They are waiting and waiting for Him to return and re-appear to them, and Peter, gets impatient. He tells his friends and fellow disciples that "he is going fishing!" Now, fishing was a huge part of Simon Peter's past...in fact it was his past, his lively hood and who he was. All that changed that one amazing day when Jesus called Him to no longer be fishers of fish, but of men. (the story is found in Luke 5:1-11.) And holds amazing similarities to the story I am discussing at the moment. But regardless, Peter is tired of waiting on the Lord, and decides, he is not only taking matters into his own hands, he's going back to what fits him, and feels comfortable. His past life of sin.

How many of you have ever been in this place as well? I know I have...but here is the thing, and you too will find what Peter found out that day, the past held nothing for him. He caught not a single fish when he fished in his own strength. Oh my friends...this is how it is. We return to something makes us "feel" like we will be happier there, and we in turn are less content because now we are not only discontent, we feel like failures. Peter really felt like a failure, because first he disowns the Lord, and now this. He could never go crawling back to the Lord.. or so he thought...

The men, are still out fishing, tired, empty and probably hungry and then they see a man standing on the shore.. he calls to them and says this.." Friends...haven't you caught any fish?"

Of course this man is Jesus, and no, He is not mocking them, He is only making a simple observation of their desolate state. He calls to us too...He says to us.."Friends..are you lonely? Are you friends not at the bar as you once supposed? Friends...Does that man, or woman you went back to not love you as deeply as you thought they did? Friends...why did you go "fishing" when I told you to do that no more? Friends, that past life is not "you" anymore."

Have you ever heard those words before...I have.

Well, because the Lord is so amazing, and so loving, He does not leave his Friends hanging there empty handed...He rescues them...

He tells them, "Drop your nets on this side of the boat..." So they did, and what do you think happened next, they pulled up not 20 fish, but 153 fish. Which in that time, was enough fish to break a net. Now...isn't that how the Lord works? Instantly John recognizes that it is Jesus (they did not before) and he exclaims.."It is the LORD!" And what happened next, takes my breath away...Peter, in all his blind passion, leaps into the water towards the Lord. With passion, with thankfulness, with a desire to be near the Father, He leaps. What a lesson for us.

So here is where I am taking this home...what is your "fishing" escape? What are you running too when your running from Him? When your tired of waiting! Waiting is never easy, but Jesus is in the waiting too...waiting is where some of our most valuable lessons comes from..trust me, I know! So when the men come ashore with all the fish, Jesus has already prepared a hot fire for them, with breakfast. Isn't that amazing? So, here are this group of disobeying men, and He calls them friends, helps them in their catch, and then, He nourishes them..

Proving to me my friends, that no matter how badly it is that we thing we have screwed up, when we jump towards him in love and repentance, he cares for us, he feeds us and he meets even our smallest of needs. Even our hunger. Are you hungry? I have been...let Him not only feed you but teach you, so that next time, when you have to wait for something, you can wait most faithfully and in His perfect peace.

May this knowledge bless you as it blessed me, and inspire you to be for Him as He would have you be, as it did for me.

The God we serve is able to do immeasurably more that we could ever imagine!!!