Friday 14 Apr 2023

April 14: John 21:7-14

Key Verse: John 21:11
So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.

Devotion:
I wonder if you have ever done silly things just because you loved someone… There is something about the love we share with others which will allow you to act out of characters and do things which you otherwise would not have thought of! Those disciples which were fishermen had gathered together and went to try and get some fish again – what else were they going to do no Jesus was dead!

They already knew the answer to that – they should go out and make disciples! But they chose to go and fish instead. Nothing was caught initially until Jesus told them to try the other side of the boat; where they caught more fish than they had before. So what’s odd about that? First, Peter launched himself off the boat into the water to get to Jesus as quickly as possible just like a child would do when they saw their parents. Next, when the boat came in they dragged the net to shore, which seemed too full to be true! Professional fishermen would not put their net in jeopardy to bring in the fish, some would probably have been let out so the net would certainly not break… instead they dragged the whole net in.

This shows the two sides of people whom God has called to serve. The one side being where the people put it off because they are not sure and go back to the old life because they know that. The second being obeying – they listened to what Jesus said and fished on the other side of the boat. The third is being joyful in Christ and showing the rest of the world you are joyful. The forth is trusting; they trusted Jesus knew the answer and pulled in the net when it was too full.

Jesus calls us when He knows the answer already. He is not going to call someone whom He knows will always fail; He calls those whom He knows are ready on the inside – they just have to put the world aside, obey God, be joyful in the work and trust Jesus does indeed know...

Points to Ponder:
Do you carry on going back to your everyday life?

Is it time for you to listen to God?