There’s no mahi in the freezer, I realized as I made my way though the kitchen, searching the staples for what I’d make for dinner. There are a few things I try not to let run out completely because I can offer a meal that nearly anyone will enjoy on short notice. Mahi is my personal favorite. The house will be full next week so I jotted down mahi on my list, meaning to go out the next day to stock up. I had forgotten this is tax free weekend just before the new school year begins. The stores will be more than usually crowded and chaotic. Can I last another week without getting in the middle of that mess? I think I’ll try.
There are seasons in life when the way ahead seems unclear. Uncertainties outweigh certainties ten to one. You’re cruising along on autopilot one minute and the next you’re sideswiped by the most unexpected thing you can imagine. The world seems to stand still and you’re left floundering, unsure of where to go or what to do. So like Peter, you fall back on what’s most familiar, most comfortable.
“Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.
This is how it happened.
Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
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.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.
The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore.
When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said.
So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore.
There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said.
None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
They knew it was the Lord.
Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish.
This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.”
John 21:1-14 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.21.3-14.NLT
Jesus didn’t have to wonder where to find Peter. He knew in the same way God knew when He called to Adam in the garden. “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) Jesus addressed them as a father would his sons. Yeladim, used by the Orthodox Jewish Bible, is from the Hebrew verb, yalad, which means to beget or to bear. It’s the word we see in the genealogies in the Bible. Many English translations render His greeting as fellows, friends, or guys, but a few choose children or boys. It’s more than a term of ownership. It’s a term of endearment and of purpose and calling. Jesus is not just saying you are my own but you are of Me, maybe not begotten in the way of nature but chosen and beloved. I have called you out to finish what I started. Jesus was reminding them of another moment. He was taking them back, setting their feet on solid ground, reorienting them to God’s good, pleasing and perfect will. Aren’t you thankful for the heart of Jesus? He doesn’t leave us on our own to figure it out. He is Emmanuel, God with us.
“One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.
He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.
Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water.
So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing.
But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!
A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.
His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid!
From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”
Luke 5:1-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.5.4.NLT
Peter was so awed by what Jesus could do, so amazed by the catch of fish in a moment after he had labored hard all night and caught nothing. I can only imagine where his brain might have gone had it been anyone other than Jesus.
Amelia found my ancient Little Golden Book copy of Rumpelstiltskin (1958) and she’s wanted to read it every time she visits. You know the story. The miller brags that his daughter can spin straw into gold to entice the young prince to marry her. The little man appears each night to spin the straw into gold for a price, exacting the promise of her first child from the miller’s daughter when the prince, not satisfied with one room full of gold, demands more and more. (from Grimm’s Fairy Tales)
If Peter had focused on the fish alone, he would have missed the point entirely. According to Luke’s account, he understood enough to walk away from his life’s work to follow Jesus, but not before seeing himself in the proper light.
“When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
Faith begins with recognizing my own sin and God’s holiness. Until I own the fact that I am lost and dying, I cannot be resurrected and saved. The beautiful thing about Jesus’s invitation to follow Him is the with. Ezra and Timothy are in their clinging phase. These boys are chunks, and Timothy is already walking confidently, but they both want to be held constantly. When Ezra’s precious little hands grab onto my shins, he pulls up to standing and reaches to be hefted, my heart melts and no matter what else I’m doing, I lift him and we work together. They’re my boys, the sons of my children and I love them.
“Children, have you caught any fish? Throw out your net on the right hand side of the boat and you’ll get some!” Without hesitation the net dropped. Once again the catch was overwhelming. John uttered, “It is the Lord!” Jesus was there, present, working in tandem with His boys once again. Peter grabbed his tunic and bounded to shore, only going back to pull in the net filled with fish when Jesus commanded it. Peter was eager, electrified by the presence of Jesus. He was waiting again for Jesus to tell him what to do but Jesus already had.
“And He said to them, Come after Me [as disciples–letting Me be your Guide], follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men!”
Matthew 4:19 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/mat.4.19.AMPC
““Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.
But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail.
So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.”
But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something.
Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.””
Luke 22:31-34 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.22.31-34.NLT
Peter had seen the empty tomb with his own eyes. He was in the locked room both times Jesus had appeared. What was he waiting for now? Reconciliation. He couldn’t forgive himself for what he’d done, or rather failed to do. He denied Jesus when he should have defended Him. The others looked to him for direction. “I’m going fishing,” Peter said. “We’ll come too.” Was it only three years since they left all this behind to follow Jesus? Everything that had happened in those last days had pulled the rug out from under them. Jesus had tried to tell them. How many times had He said they couldn’t understand now but He told them anyway so when it all went down, they would know, deep in their souls without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was God, the Son. Jesus was about to reorient their relationship and add a new dimension to their call, then God would empower them by sending His Spirit on Pentecost. Peter had to let go of everything he thought Jesus was going to be and do before he was ready to walk in the Way.
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?
If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.”
Luke 9:23-26 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.9.23-26.NLT
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter,
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question:
“Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him,
“Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time.
He said, “Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”
Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?
As for you, follow me.””
John 21:15-17, 19-22 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.21.15-22.NLT
The call was the same. You still have some fishing left to do, Peter, but you have a flock to care for now too. Yes, I called you to fish for men but that’s not all. That’s only a part of My call. Care for my sheep. Your role is forever changed this side of the cross. There will always be the tension, the uncertainty, the feeling of insufficiency but don’t let it cause you to flounder. Let it cause you to lean into Jesus. He promised never to leave or forsake you.
“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need.
My power works best in weakness.”
So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.12.9-10.NLT
Sometimes I am Peter. I wake up unsure of where I’m meant to be or what I’m supposed to be doing, so I scroll my phone, first checking my calendar, then my notifications. When things get too still or quiet, I grow restless. I reach for something or someone to fill the void. Jesus is the only One capable of that. When I am grounded in His Word, confident of His presence, I am prepared for whatever a day may bring, however unexpected. Only when I remember who He is can I be all He asks. Only then can I pray wholeheartedly, “not my will but Yours be done.”
“His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.
But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.”
John 12:16 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.12.16.NLT
Thomas is almost four and he asks the most thoughtful questions. Getting to explain God’s Word to him is my joy and privilege. I’m fishing for souls, his and Amelia’s and Timothy’s and Ezra’s. Their moms and dads know Jesus, but they’re still sheep in my pasture to disciple. I am blessed to have both my parents actively involved in our lives. I know I am in their prayers. They still disciple me and my husband and our children. They are also fishing for the souls of my grandchildren. We are not competing. We are cooperating.
“We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News.
Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.
It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering.
What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.
The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose.
And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
For we are both God’s workers.
And you are God’s field.
You are God’s building.
Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder.
Now others are building on it.
But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 3:5-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.3.5-11.NLT
“The harvest you reap reveals the seed that you planted.
If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect a harvest of corruption.
If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit.
And don’t allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!”
Galatians 6:8-9 TPT
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