Fishing Seasons Matthew 4:12-23
Jesus said, as his first disciples started to follow him, that they would one day fish for people. They were fisherman by trade; but Jesus was inviting them to learn from him and begin a new kind of fishing. The funny thing about fishing for people is that we often find ourselves fishing when we don't think it's the right season or that we are the best prepared.
Our lives go through many seasons. Some joyful and some tough. Knowing God's presence in the middle of all seasons is the great gift of faith given to all God's people in Christ Jesus. One of my favorite seasons in life is trout fishing season. In our lives following Jesus we'll find times to go out, caste lines, and maybe reel in someone for the kingdom of God.
Still there are often surprising times when God sends us out to fish. Most especially in our toughest seasons we can do our very best fishing on God's behalf. Consider those who fish around me today. It's winter and I live near a chain of lakes that's frozen solid on the surface; but there's still a lot of fishing going on even through the ice. Ice houses dot the lakes; each one covers a few small holes in the ice where a lines are dropped in with a luer and a little bait in hopes of snagging a fish. Each fisherman waits in the winter cold maybe alone maybe with a friend for a chance to catch a fish.
God sends us out to fish at surprising times. May he surprise you by calling you out unto the water to find new sisters and brothers to join in his kingdom.
Pax, John
PS thanks for praying for myself and my family. I continue to ask you to pray with me that God grant health, prosperity, happiness, His love, and His joy to all of us durring this season and through out our lives no matter what comes. Thanks for joining me in prayers for Siri, for our daughters Norah, Gracia, and Faith, for Siri's family, my family, and for myself.
2 comments:
One of the important aspects of fishing for people that we often forget is that Jesus never promised we would actually catch folks. Our calling is to fish, to cast the line, take a chance and have faith enough that God will indeed catch people through us. We may not always realize the catch; it may come years after our inital cast. But it is in the fishing where we follow Christ as those who proclaim the nearness of God's kingdom.
Good post, thanks again!
There's no better way to say it. We fish not always catching trusting that in God's mysterious ways there's a plan to catch. Maybe that's one of the challenges for us in ministry as God's people in the world; perseverence even in the face of what are for us insurmountable troubles.
God's grace is what really catches people and changes their lives. God's mercy is what really releases us to fish even when we haven't caught something or someone for many years.
pax,
John
Post a Comment