WILFONG: Lessons from fishing

I love to fish.

There is something about standing on a creek bank, or waist deep water, trying to get a bass or perch to take the bait. The challenge for me is to hit the right place at the right time with the right lure.

Of course, I catch and release.

I love the taste of fish, but I am a bit lazy when it comes to cleaning and preparing the fish. (Come to think of it, it is time to renew my license).

I also think it is awesome that fishing is so prominent in the Gospels. In fact, the first-person Jesus called to follow him was a fisherman, Peter (Luke 5:10-11).

Now granted, comparing my fishing to Peter’s would be like comparing hamsters to apples, two totally different worlds.

I go fishing for fun and relaxation, Peter fished for survival. For Jesus to call Peter away from the boats was a big deal. Peter had a family to support. (We know he was married and had a mother-in-law living with them.)

To just simply walk away is a very big deal, yet that is what Peter did. Jesus promised that Peter would become a fisher of men.

Yet in the whole of the Gospels, we never hear of the Apostles starving or coming up short.

We don’t hear about Peter’s family being put into poverty, nor do we hear of Matthew becoming destitute. So, what does this teach us?

It teaches that God provides. If you are called, then you follow and trust in God. (There is even a sermon on worry, check out Matthew 6:25-34). Worry is not in the Gospel vocabulary. God will take care of us. The only thing is we must trust in him.

Now, everyone has different callings, and not everyone is called to drop everything and pick up a cross.

Many are called to follow Christ right in their own back yard. Some of us are called to witness at our jobs or use our tasks to glorify Christ.

Even though preachers are called to preach, many are called to live Christ.

If your cross is to keep working and live for Christ, then that is your call. Just be sure you are living for Christ.

I realize that some of you may not have felt the call.

I would like to ask if you ever really listened.

Have you spent time praying for your call to ministry?

Have you looked at how your gifts can be used at church, or at the local charity?

The point is, Peter answered the call because he was listening. Christ doesn’t shout really loud.

He normally talks in a still small voice, and we often don’t hear. Maybe more time in prayer would help. Might I suggest a fishing pole and a creek bank, it gets pretty quiet there.

Yes, Christ is calling you to be a disciple, don’t be afraid and please hear him out.

Just a thought.

Shalom my friends and I hope to see you in church.