Fish Story

There’s a little story in the Bible that can be overlookedbecause of one part that seems like it’s more important.  When Jesus calls the first disciples, thosefishermen from their boats, it seems like that’s the most important part ofthat story.  But, there’s this littledetail that seems so crucial to me that speaks in a different way to our souls.  There’s this enormous catch of fish.

I’m not the first one to catch this (get it?), but todayseems like a good day to remind my soul of God’s provision.  When God calls us into ministry, God providesfor us.  God meets our needs.  God secures us so that we can move with asure dependence on faith.

That statement may make someone hesitate.  Isn’t faith moving without security?  No. Faith is a relationship of trust. It’s not a thing in itself… like if we have THIS much faith we’restronger than if we have this muchfaith.  Faith is a relationship of trust.  We have faith in someone, not in ourselves,not in what we can drum up in a feeling, not in just trusting in our experienceor what we read in the Bible.  Faith is arelationship of trust in someone that has proven themselves trustworthy.  We can enter the unknown with this onebecause of our faith in them.  That’s thething that reduces worry.

We can wander out away from faith when we think we have todo something hard for God.  I know about thisfirst hand because we moved into a ministry once where we stepped beyond God’sguidance and took the responsibility of provision on ourselves.  We spent years working as hard as we could,trusting in the other people we were working with more than God, but calling onGod to provide, celebrating when we got a morsel or an abundance but neverfinding rest.

Rest is such a significant part of the work of God that itshould be one of the first things Christians expect to be part of theirministry.  God calls us into rest.  God provides rest.  We work hard, but then we rest well.

What was the deal with the fish?  At least Peter left a home with a wife and amother-in-law.  John and James left ahome that included at least their father and servants.  God provided a (literal) boatload of fish tosustain their households when he called them into the unknown, into ministrywith Jesus.  Along with a call to work,he gave them rest for the natural anxieties that would arise.

You see, the world (and especially our society) tells usthat we have to work and work hard to achieve. And ministry leaders sometimes tell their workers that “this is for God(!),” like, “Buck up and don’t complain!” One of the litmus tests of any ministry, whether it actually isministry, is the rest it provides for those doing the work.

At this time in my life, I’m reminded that God provides.  I’m seeing it and because I can recognize it for what it is, I am at rest.  It’s not that I’m not working hard, seeking and applying myself in every way I can, but I’m doing that with Joy and with a restful attitude.  You may be reading this and saying, “Geez, Kohler, you have it all together.”  But, remember that this is what the Spirit is reminding me, right now.  Right now, the Spirit is saying, “Geez, Kohler… how many times do I have to tell you?  Give it a rest.” What you’re reading is what I tell myself.

Blessings (they’re around us),Geoff