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| “Resurrección de Cristo (The Resurrection) fresco 1463 Piero della Francesca, Sansepolcro, Italy |
After a while things quietened down.
Seven of us, the fishing fraternity, decided to do something.
Money was getting tight, so we pushed out the boat.
That wasn't the only thing that was tight.
The
fish didn't want to be caught.
At
day break we were all for giving up.
There
on the beach was a lone man.
He seemed friendly and asked how we were doing.
"Nothing
of interest here", we called back.
"Throw the nets over on the other side", he returned.
We
could hear him clearly on the off-shore breeze.
We're pretty much experts, but 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'.
The
nets immediately hit a shoal. Latter I
heard we had picked up 153 fish.
Now
that was quite a miracle, and it got us thinking.
Must
be Jesus on the shore.
"I
can't wait to meet him," said Peter.
Typical
Peter, he stripped off and was overboard in a second.
By the time we'd got the nets in the boat, and made our way up onto the beach,
Jesus
and Peter were by a small barbecue grilling fish.
We
all sat in a circle, like we'd done so many times before.
Jesus
looked up to heaven and asked for the creator’s blessing.
He
then broke the fish into pieces and passed it to us.
We
felt alive again. Food, and his
presence.
A
perfect combination.
After
we'd finished a wonderful thing happened.
Jesus turned to Peter.
Peter
had been beating himself up over his betrayal of Jesus.
Jesus
made it clear, repeating three times
that
he knew Peter's faith and love was rock solid.
Then
he asked Peter to lead us in pastoring 'his' people,
The
people he was now leaving.
This,
then, was to be our future.
Of
course Jesus said and did far more than I can record in these few feeble words.
He
even hinted to Peter that I might live for ever, until he returns.
Wow,
that got everyone talking. I promise
I'll tell you if it happens.
Watch
this space.
Choose to live - every day
It’s the morning after. Life is on a roller coaster of emotions. There are highs and lows. How we get through the lows is often the
greatest test of character. Jesus friend
returned to their old ways. These were
good ways, but they reflected on how central Jesus had been to the
movement. Without Jesus, the whole thing
seemed to peter out (no pun intended).
This might be the case for me, when
a significant person dies, or moves away.
I can find that the inspiration has gone. Like the friends of Jesus, do I forget that
Jesus is with me. They hear his voice-
‘try the other side’. Like many before
them they may have thought ‘stupid advice’, ‘don’t we know what we are
doing’. Or ‘that’s too simple’. But the friends do follow the advice, and my
goodness, the timing is perfect. Many of
the miraculous things that happen around Jesus are purely to do with timing. A large shoal could have been swimming that
way, perhaps corralled by some predator.
So often it is the perfect and extraordinary timing of events that gives
evidence to Jesus presence with us.
Might be a coincidence, but it might not be.
Once again the friends gather round
Jesus as he provides them with breakfast.
Fish not bread, but again they are reminded that our needs are provided
for by the Creator. And this is for the
whole person. Our greatest need is to
live by more than just food and drink.
We need life sustaining relationships that are not temporary, but for
ever.
Jesus knew that Peter was suffering
because he had denied that he was a friend of his. Jesus knew that this was from Peter’s deep
fears. Jesus made it very clear to Peter
that not only was he forgiven, but that he was promoted to be one of the ones
to prevent the movement stalling. Jesus
was passing the baton over to his friends.
He does this with me to, as I am able.
As my fear is overcome. As I have
the strength to meet the challenge, even to the point of death.
Watch this space.
PRAYER I am ready to do all that you have for me to do. Forgive me for my fear. Fill me with your Spirit of truth and
courage. I love you.
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