Skip to main content

Empty Nets

What a week!  What a turn of events!  It seemed impossible to even begin to process all that had happened.  Their emotions had risen high with expectation of a new kingdom and righteous King, but then dashed apart with the unexpected, gruesome crucifixion of the One they had put their feeble faith and hope in.  Yet, within a few days, they had actually seen this very One alive, even able to put their hands into his nail pierced hands and side.  But what in the world was the meaning of this all?  What is God intending?  What now?  Was this all just some surreal dream or fog they had stumbled in to?

"I'm going fishing."  Peter announced this to his friends after arriving back home.  It had to be good to at least find and see things that made sense to you.  The fresh sea air, the small boats bobbing in the harbor, and the expectation of catching fish made life seem real again.  Fishing was something they didn't have to think about.  They knew what to do.  They automatically pushed their boat out to sea and cast their nets over just like they had always done.  Their hard work held no reward, for when dawn appeared, the nets were empty.  Now what?  They seemed to have lost their fishing ability, their very livelihood.  Empty nets sunk their hopes of returning to daily life like before.  Obviously, nothing would ever be the same again. . . 

The aroma of grilling fish came from the shore, along with the voice of that One they had followed.  "Throw your nets to the other side!"  He shouted out.  They did just that and reaped a busting net of fish . . . wow . . . the wonder of Almighty God!  What went through their minds now?  What was to be the outcome of these who would be left behind?  

 I also find myself returning to the familiar in my life when I'm overwhelmed with the turn of events.  I do the things I know I can and yet end up "catch-less".  Discouragement and doubt sets in.  But Jesus is always there along the shore of my life, ready to fill my empty nets with His hope and purpose. It's all about keeping my faith in Him, even when I do not understand.  Throw your net to the other side, Mary!  Give up your way, trust in My way.  Empty nets will fill . . .   


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Close Encounters of the Spiritual Kind

   " Put yourself in the path that God will work." (Pastor Martin Smith, 1/2024)  On a crisp, clear Saturday morning, I started up the hill with Gypsy Rose eagerly leading the way.  I was more caught up in the fresh air feeling that was invigorating, than paying attention to the few cars that passed us by.  But there up ahead, a small red truck had slowed to the curb to flag me down.  "Could I help him find his son's house?" He was an older gentleman with his phone in hand.  He couldn't reach his son because the calls only went to voicemail, and he didn't have his address, only that it was somewhere here in Rancho.  I googled his son for him, but unfortunately, it only brought up an older address which was the current address now for this man.  There was no updated address for Rancho Cucamonga.  I told him the bad news, but he was so very gracious.  He did everything to show me that he was for real, pulling out  his driver lice...
Post a Comment
Read more

Awe

  The thunder resounded with a loud clap! Certainly, it came as an afternoon surprise.  The expected rain seemed less than what was forecasted, but with the thunder came a bucket of heavy raindrops splashing against my kitchen window.  I wanted to take it all in, the fresh aroma of falling rain and the beauty of water drops hitting the leaves of my nasturtium and petunia hanging baskets.  Unfortunately, the rain cloud quickly fled, running away into the eastern sky.  But then the sun made its way onto the scene, and I was drawn to a thick band of rainbow colors shining up at me.  The western sky was magnificently orange, completely bound up tight with that solo color scheme.  I went outside to catch it all before it would disappear.  Creation again was causing me to pause in awe and wonder. . . Awe is that reverential wonder, that even includes fear and respect.  It is only a 3 letter word, but it takes bigger and grander words to define it....
Post a Comment
Read more

Corrupt Leaders, Corrupt People?

  There's a pattern over and over again in the history books of the Old Testament.  It goes something like this, the king did evil in the sight of the Lord, in which he made the people sin, and provoked God to anger with their idols, (I Kings 16: 13).  God is not human, and we are limited in our language to truly describe an Infinite Invisible Being.  We use our human terms to describe outcomes or actions that are visible to us.  The people viewed their King as their protector and advocate.  If it went well with the King, it was well for them, even if the King veered from the teachings of their heritage, i.e. the Law of Moses.  It seemed as if there was no real discernment on their part, but rather a complicity of going along with majority thought or rule.  I could be wrong, but the phrase that the King made the people sin, makes me wonder.  After all, isn't there personal choice with our decisions?  Are we any different today, on this ...
Post a Comment
Read more