Wednesday Scripture and Prayer: John 21
Counting Fish
--------
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
So Simon Peter dragged the net ashore.
It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”
Jesus gave bread to them, and did the same with the fish.
---------
The disciples came face to face with the risen Lord--the savior of the world--the living Word of God--and somebody was over by the boat counting fish.
153 large fish, if you're keeping track.
That's a strange number.
So strange that scholars have tried for hundreds of years to come up with a spiritual meaning.
There isn't one.
All it means is that somebody was counting fish while Jesus was talking.
"86, 87, 88--Uh oh! they all moved! Gotta start over! 1, 2, 3..."
The disciples were trying to go back to the only job they thought they knew.
And all their work came up empty.
One word from Jesus turned all of that around.
Wouldn't it be great to go back to the world we knew a year ago?
But we can't go back.
All our efforts to do so will come up empty.
Jesus is more than ready to turn all that around.
He'll meet you where you're at and bless you beyond your dreams.
But when he does, don't spend too much time counting fish.
--------------
Lord, you're here.
And the whole world is hungry.
All my work is coming up empty--until you speak.
Today, let me be a fisher of women and men.