Do Not Be Afraid (11AM)

I remember what was possibly my first time in a boat. I was about eight. My dad and a few others decided to take a rowboat out into the Pacific. They took me along. First, we had to push through the waves on the beach. Then we rowed away from the shore. Soon the beach looked really far away. My dad and others let down their fishing lines. They talked about catching something really big. We caught NOTHING. I began feeling the endless motion of the ocean rocking our little rowboat. My nausea grew. I was miserable. I had to concentrate to keep my insides inside. Finally, the decision was made to return to shore. When we landed all I could do was lay down until the motion in my head stopped.

Lesson #1 … Insist on a bigger boat.

Lesson #2 … fishing is mostly hoping not catching.

In today’s Bible story we find ourselves once again in a boat, this time with a frustrated commercial fisherman. His name was Simon (Peter). He and his partners had fished ALL NIGHT … not a SINGLE FISH. While Simon was cleaning his nets, and grumbling about his long night, a new preacher, Jesus, climbed into his boat and began teaching the large crowd gathered on the shore. If I had been Simon my patience, and my attention, would have been short. After the sermon the preacher turned to Simon and told him to row out and fish a little more. I would have advised Jesus to stick to preaching and leave the fishing to professionals.

But Simon didn’t take my approach. Maybe some of what he had seen and heard sunk in. He agreed to try again. What happened next changed his life. Maybe I should listen a bit more, and fish a bit longer. Maybe we all should. Jesus has good fishing instincts. I’ll take another turn at the oars.