Gone Fishing

OPENING PRAYER:

You are the God of wonder, the God of the everyday. I praise you for the miraculous and the routine.

READ: John 21:1-14

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 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. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

John 21:1-14

REFLECT:

Think back to your first meeting with Jesus. As you come to him today, give thanks for all that he means to you.

Repetition aids learning. There is a distinct sense of having been here before. Peter goes fishing. Was that wrong, heading back to his old life rather than moving boldly into the new? Probably not; the disciples have been told to wait, and filling the time seems reasonable. It’s a disappointing night. No fish. Here Jesus takes them back to the beginning, reminding them of their purpose – to be fishers of men (Luke 5:1–11). Is there significance in the number ‘153’ (v 11)? There have been many suggestions, none convincing; perhaps it’s best to recognize that even if there was, we are unlikely to know what. The important thing is that it was a surprisingly large catch.

Then the Creator of the world cooks breakfast for his friends, reminding us that he did not come to be served but to serve (Mark 10:43–45). It is a confirmation that the Word was genuinely made flesh (John 1:14). Jesus meets us in the everyday if we’re open to the possibility. We shall recognize him, as these disciples did, by what he does, or as the two on the road to Emmaus eventually realized, by what he says (Luke 24:32). Where might you meet him this week?

APPLY:

Look back over your life with Jesus – are there things that he has said or done that you need to remember and act on?

CLOSING PRAYER:

Faithful Father, You are the giver of all my years, the ruler of all my days. I thank You for the knowledge that my times are in Your hands.

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