I Am Going Fishing - 12th Annual

One of my son's favorite singers was Randy Travis. And one of his favorite songs by Randy was Keep Your Lure In The Water. I still have a vivid picture in my mind of Gary sitting in his boat, working on his lures and singing that song.

After Gary passed away, my sister put a CD together with his favorite songs and wrote on the top of the CD, "Gary's Mix." I love listening to his favorite songs. Three of these songs were played at his funeral because I knew he would want that. Recently, as I was listening to the Randy Travis song, I thought about its meaning.

When Jesus first called the disciples in Luke 5, they had been fishing all night and hadn't caught a thing. Jesus tells them to launch out into deep water. Peter follows the instructions and they caught so many fish their nets started to break and boats started to sink! Peter recognized the great miracle and fell at Jesus knees. Then Jesus tells them, "From now on you will catch men." Fishers of men.

They followed Jesus and made their life with Him. Now Jesus has been arrested, crucified and risen from the dead and had already appeared to His disciples. But where was the Lord now? What do they do next? Peter was uncertain of what to do, so he does what he does best and says "I am going fishing." And some of the disciples go with him. (John 21).

They caught nothing! How boring to fish all night without even a bite! If you're in a tournament, this will cause you to lose heart of winning. It's very tiring too. At least if you're catching fish the adrenaline is pumping. But sometimes it's just disappointing.

Peter was used to catching lots of fish. This night I'm sure he wondered if there were any fish left in the lake. Not. Even. A. Bite.

Life can be like this. All is going well, (catching lots of fish), then, the bottom drops out and disappointment after disappointment floods us, for whatever reason. And there seems like no hope, (not even a bite).

Don't give up. Peter fished all night and nothing, but he was still out in the lake fishing when Someone from the bank yells - "Are they Biting? Have you caught anything?"

And the answer was …….NO.

Then comes a reply, "Fish on the right side of the boat."  What?? Are you serious???

Life, and especially right now, can be so hard to understand. Confusion is everywhere. We can't even have a normal fishing tournament because of all the turmoil!

For some reason, Peter and the others turned to fish from the right side of their boat. Why did they choose to follow advice of Someone, at this point, they didn't even recognize? Maybe they were willing to change their method. Try another lure. Remembering what happened before with the miraculous catch. They didn't know it was Jesus giving the instruction. They were not so stubborn and set in their ways that they couldn't listen to advice. Sometimes good instruction from God comes in unexpected ways.

And they caught so many fish they couldn't haul them in!

Now they recognize that it is Jesus. Peter jumps out of the boat and swims as fast and hard as he can to get to Him. Jesus has breakfast ready. I find this interesting and comforting to know that God cares about things that concern us. Even the small things, like catching fish, using the right lure, preparing breakfast for them because He knew they were hungry and tired. It's not just the major life events and issues God cares about. When we realize how much Jesus loves us and is concerned about us more than anyone else, we throw off all that keeps us from Him so we can quickly get to where He is. And when we get to Him, He provides nourishment for our body and souls.

One of the things I love about this true story is that the Bible is accurate. It tells us exactly how many fish were caught  -  153.

This Scripture ends with Jesus giving Peter restoration and with that came instructions......feed My sheep. As the song goes, "From now on you're a fisher of men....There are souls to be caught everywhere in this old world......Go where hearts are plenty, don't just drift with the tide, Keep your lure in the water, in the waters of life."

Jesus wants us to be fishers of people. He wants us to use the right lure, (Himself and His Word), and to keep it in the water, (Living Water of Jesus Christ). To keep on keeping on in times like these, "When the sea is troubled and it's hard to stay afloat." To not give up or give in but stay connected, (hooked), to Him.

Keep Your Lure In The Living Waters of Jesus Christ.

Going Fishing!

For Friends in Affliction

Afflicted: - grievously affected or troubled, mentally or physically;
                 - to cause pain or suffering 
                 - to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish

"It was good for me to be afflicted." (Psalm 119:71)

WHAT??

"He has led me and made me walk in darkness and not in light." (Lamentations 3:2)

WHAT??

Why would God allow such horrors and heartache to come into our life?
I asked this question many times after losing my son. I could not wrap my mind and heart around a good God allowing so much pain and anguish.

Although the Bible does not say who wrote Psalms 119, most Scholars agree it was David, who composed it throughout his life.
Lamentations was written by Jeremiah and is the book of mourning and grief over the conquest of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. If you read Lamentations in its entirety, it will cause your heart to hurt and bring you to tears over the horrific and tragic things that took place.  Things that I can't even imagine.

So back to the question of why (and it's okay to ask why), that God would actually lead us into a dark place? The answer comes in the second half of the verse from Psalm 119; "so that I might learn Your decrees."
So that I may cry out to Jesus for help.
So that I will pour out my heart for His strength and endurance
So that I may know my Creator

It's good to be in the dark if it's by the Lord's leading because it has purpose. It's at the bottom place, dark and desolate place, where we find the Rock to climb up to. Then we start making our way back up. This is the place where hope is rekindled.

Affliction is a teacher if we allow affliction to grow us and make us better. Sadly, many choose the path of anger, bitterness, depression, cynicism, etc and turn their backs on the only One who can truly help and identify with us. Yes, Identify. Jesus was a "man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering." He was afflicted for us. (Isaiah 53)

He knows pain, heartache, loss and anguish.

Sometimes all we can do is be still and wait. Be still and seek. Be still and know that He is God.
That's hard for us today in our fast pace society with so much to do. But God is worth the wait.
He is worth the time to seek. You will never regret this.

After Jeremiah grieves, mourns, cries out and asked God where He is and why He hasn't shown up, he makes this statement: "Yet".....I like this word. This word in itself is saying, "hold on! There's something more!" It means, Nevertheless; However. "Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

Not consumed with affliction. Not destroyed. Not devoured. Not depleted.
Because there's something more! Hope in Jesus. He is faithful. Always. This is why we can't stay in the dark place. We must start making our way back up while clinging to the Rock.

Keep enduring. The word enduring means, abiding, continuing. The only way we can do this in a spiritually healthy way is to endure with Jesus. "Endurance inspired by hope." (1 Thess. 1:3)

Our afflictions won't last forever. In fact, they are nearly over. This life is the shortest part of eternity. We have so much to look forward to. 

Keep on keeping on my friend in affliction!