Your Small Boat

Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

                                                                                                              (Mark 1:16-20 KJV)

As children we are encouraged to dream big; make a plan for our futures. Then something happens. Today it is Covid-19. Dreams are washed away. All of the effort we put into getting where we are and where we want to be are halted. For some, the dreams; the goals, have permanently ended. The ship has sunk.

After gaining everything he had hoped for the preacher realized that none of it satisfied him. He wrote: "And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." (Eccl 2:10-11)

The Preacher had an abundance. Yet, he was not satisfied. Job, reportedly a good man, had an abundant life. Yet, he lost it all. Even his children were taken from him by death.

The fishermen who followed Jesus had their small boats to earn their living from. Yet, they willingly gave it up to follow something, someone, greater. Immediately, upon being called by Jesus they left their old way of living behind to follow Jesus and to become fishers of men.

It is not always easy to follow Jesus and become a fisher of people. I cannot help but wonder that as church doors are being shut due to the Covid-19 Virus, if Jesus may be calling us and reminding us to step out of those small boats that we call church and really start fishing for people. Another door is open. The opportunities are there. There are many new opportunities to share the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ today. Will we lay down those worn out nets, that in many cases really have not caught much in years gone by, and follow in the footsteps of Jesus fishing for people? Yes, Jesus taught in the temple. But, he also taught and proclaimed the Gospel in community outside of the building.

Time to quit worrying about your small boat and fish in the larger sea?

God's Peace - Pr. J.