How many times do we work and work and come up feeling empty....when blessings in abundance were just on the other side of the boat?
Jesus had died on the cross, the disciples had found the empty tomb, Jesus had appeared to them in the upper room and there again when Thomas said he wouldn't believe unless he saw with his own eyes.
Now the disciples are fishing at night.
📖 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. John 21:3-14
I wish I could draw the imagery I see in my head. I found one that was close. We are seeing the boat from under the water. Where the side in which they are casting their nets is just water, empty of any fish. But just across the bottom of the boat on the other side is....swarming with fish...with sustenance, with blessing.
Then they get a word from the Lord and obey and...BOOM...fish!
When I read that scripture that is the image that immediately came to mind. And then the thought "how often do I do that?"
Work at something specific or in general and seem to get no where, and seem to come up empty. Because we are doing it on our own.
We need to seek His wisdom and direction. The disciples didn't even look...He was there waiting. They just had to respond.
"Have you caught any fish?"
They responded honestly, "No."
He told them what to do, they did it. They didn't say "We know what we are doing," or "what does this guy know" and in their obedience immediately saw the blessing.
Now here is another little thing that struck me...it was such a HUGE blessing they couldn't lift it into the boat, they had to drag it through the water.
We all want blessings, but sometimes blessings can be work, actually, many times.
Also, Jesus didn't leave it at that, when they arrived on shore there was a fire and fish cooking and bread to eat and Jesus said..."come and have breakfast" Come and sit with Me, eat with Me
The Blessing...to me...is more about the Man and not the fish. Yes. their fishing trip became successful due to their obedience. But this Man they had followed and loved had died. But now they were getting more time with Him. Time in His presence.
What any of us wouldn't give for that time with someone....to sit around a fire at the beach in the early morning hours. Just to be in their presence again.
They knew who He was, there wasn't any doubting this time.
If we seem to be "working" and getting no where, maybe it is time to look up....and listen..there might be another direction given.
Read the Word and pray.
🙏🏼Lord, please give us the eyes to see You, the ears to hear, the wisdom to obey and the humility to see the blessings. ♥️
