Reason #213

...Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they replied.

Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

-John 21:3-6

Fishers of men. He had called them, given them a purpose, told them what to do. But they found themselves back in a boat simply fishing. Doing what they knew to do. It was their livelihood, what they were good at. It was easy. But not today. The fish weren't falling for it this time. And so they sat with empty nets. All night, they waited. Nothing happened. I'm sure discouragement crept in, confusion, too. Maybe they began to doubt their abilities. Maybe they had lost it. Maybe this wasn't their "thing" anymore. And really, all they could do was throw in the nets. They had no control over the fish. All they could do was try their best and do what they knew to do.

And He showed up. In the midst of the waiting and discouragement, He made His presence known. A God, an all-seeing, all-knowing God was right there when they needed Him. There on the sidelines ready to give help. Ready to solve their problem. And He called out. Over the waves, over the distance, He called to them. They couldn't see Him but they could hear Him. A voice, a familiar voice, giving simple directions. Guidance, just what they needed. "Throw the nets on the other side..." Really, that simple? That easy? And I wonder if they looked at one another, rolled their eyes and thought "this guy thinks that'll take care of the problem?" Maybe they were at their wits end, desperate for some help. Maybe they were willing to finally listen because they had spent hours getting no where by using their own abilities. But, whatever the case, it appears that they had some faith in this voice calling to them. And so they obeyed. Pulling in the empty nets, they cast them on the other side of the boat.

It worked. It really was that easy. And before they knew, they had an unbelievable amount of fish. Sea creatures that had somehow been avoiding the net on one side were now swimming right into it on the other side. Once again, men simply doing what they knew to do, having no control over what landed in the net, were now given more than they had expected because they listened. They trusted the voice calling out to them. They had faith in the directions they were receiving, and they did exactly what they were told even if it didn't seem to make much sense.

I've spent too much time with empty nets. Doing things the way I thought they should be done because it's what I knew, it made sense to me, and it was easy. But I'm beginning to learn this lesson. I'm catching on slowly but surely. Because I finally realized that listening is the secret to it all. Listening and obeying. Some days, we spend our time throwing nets into wasted space. Space that will bring us no return or negative return. And so we waste our time waiting on nothing and discouragement sinks in quickly. But He's always there, calling out to us. And if we listen, He'll tell us what to do. It may be simple, it may not be so easy, but He'll give us the guidance we need. Listen over the waves. Listen and do it. Trust, even if it doesn't seem to add up at the time. Because He makes His voice known, and He makes it clear if we pay attention. And if there is one thing I've learned, He never, ever misleads His children. So cast your net where He tells you. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the many blessings you catch. 

#213 - Because He'll tell us what to do if we'll just simply listen.

"Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful." - Proverbs 16:20