The Lessons of Lent: 'I go a Fishing'

The Lessons of Lent: 'I go a fishing'

[My Offline Bible] John 21
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

Jesus Christ had prophesied before His passion that His disciples would forsake Him. And they did.
The prophesy was for them to know that He would be watching their backs. And He did.

In the double confusion in which they had found themselves: the death and the announcement of His resurrection, they found themselves merely huddling and hiding.

Someone had to break the inactivity and it was Peter, he wanted to go fishing.

For about three and a half years, the least thing on his mind was fishing. He had been plucked out of the fishing business to attend to a higher calling. He was told to follow and he would become a fisher of men.

At this point, so many things were racing through his mind, 'is this being a fisher of men?' 'How would this sustain a man and his family?' 'For how long shall we sit with this?' 'What does the future hold?' And so many such questions.

So he made up his mind to be proactive. He won't just sit there doing nothing. He was breaking the silence and needed to take his destiny in his hands, and he would do something about it. If he couldn't understand this business of fishing for men, he hadn't forgotten that of the good old fishing!

He remembered where he had hung his net and other fishing apparatus amd he went for them. Others too, in same disillusionment decided to go with him...it was a tough decision to make but what options did they have anyway?

We often get to that point where we ask what next. When the future looks bleak and uncertain. Not that we forgot the path of God's expectations and calling but it doesn't seem as if there is a thoroughfare or a passage there into the future once envisioned.

So in the absence of any other answer, we abandoned the dream and went back to where we'd left: the comfort zone, the familiar turf, the apparent path of least resistance.

That was exactly what the very very disciples of Christ did. They gave up! Even after the resurrection of their Master, they caved in and broke down.

What was our expectation of Christ? We would have thought Jesus would get angry and also feel disappointed and blame them...? No, He didn't. He already knew what was going to happen. He knew their frame, how they were mere flesh without Him.

They cought nothing!

The grace for fishing had long left for the grace for fishing men, but the frustration they faced wouldn't let them know...all their renewed enthusiasm and their investment weren't strong enough to bring back the grace.

Many had left the calling of God to go back to the place from where God had called them only to see that God doesn't change His mind until His purpose is done.

They experienced failure which God didn't intend for them. That's the best result from such a venture any other result of pseudo-success will trap one in the gal of eternal failure.

Jesus had to come to their rescue! No matter how far we have gone, God's watching over our every step. Not in judgment but to bring us back to the point of our call and to His pleasure.

[My Offline Bible] John 21
5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

Jesus asked the question as if He didn't know but even in that situation, He had an answer, He was present to rescue the situation. If you had gone fishing the wrong fishes...you'll need to consider how you are faring.

Maybe it'll be good to know that in all our straying, He was there 'stalking' us and following patiently and quietly, waiting for that moment we'll eventually get ourselves into trouble to rescue us. He wouldn't stop being the very present help in all our troubles...

You may be far away from the centre of God's plan for your life...but He has trailed your steps even there. Even if you were just one of a hundred, he won't mind leaving the ninety nine to come rescue you...once you are ready to return! You may have walked yourself into the valley of the shadows of death...His presence will be there to get you back to the still waters and the green pastures... even on the disobedient journey to Tarshish, He was there with His submarine to take Jonah to the place of destiny...

Can you trust Him for your rescue? He can save you from yourself, if you don't mind! Are you already fishing in forbidden waters? Have you left your family and moved in with strangers? Have you left your ministry to engage in selfish passions? Have you forsaken holiness to live in spiritual filth? If you are willing, listen to His voice and return...He knows the way out!

He won't abandon you there, He has come to take you back into the cozyness of His embrace! Take that chance now!

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