WHAT AN INCREDIBLE GOD WE HAVE! 20181005

You just brought in a great haul of fish early this morning. You and your family are in high spirits, because it will be good business today. The fishing season was in and lots of fish were jumping in the Sea.

It is now late afternoon and now you are sitting with your brother Andrew. The haul was so good this morning, so the nets needed to be cleaned, checked and repaired before you set out again early tomorrow. Cleaning nets is not easy work. It takes discipline and a keen eye to recognise a tear in the net. Then a deft hand to repair that. The shoals under the Galilean waters were sharp, and nets were cut as they were dragged on by the boat.

But your father had taught you everything before he died. The ‘ship’ you now have also needed repair from time to time. The Sea was prone to storms especially in this season when the wind comes howling in from the mountains of the Jordan valley. The hot afternoon sun beat down mercilessly, and you hurried your hand to finish and get home to catch some more sleep.

But cleaning nets gave a lot of time to think. Many thoughts passed your strong mind. “Am I going to do this all my life?”; “When will I get children?”; “Yahweh, You know I’m a good man! But there’s something more I need in life.”

Not far away were the other close family friends. Grey haired Zebedee and his sons, Yohanna and Ya’acov. They were doing the same things, and their voices carried in the wind as they talked and joked in Aramaic.

Having just finished you and Andrew carried the heavy nets to the water’s edge. You commenced to throw them into the water systematically your eyes intense to check for any other tears left out as the nets spread out on the water surface. This was an important practice your father taught you and both of you had learned well.

Then your keen eyes notice a man walking along the shore line towards you. The gentle sea breeze blew his hair over his shoulders to one side. His short beard was well kept, and you also noticed he was a Galilean, a local. But his dress was too clean for a fisherman!

He came and stopped behind you and Andrew. His smile was amazing, and he stretched his hand to you. He looked like a Rabbi.

You left your nets and walked closer to him, the water sloshing at your feet, and you reached out for his outstretched hand. And as he clasped your hand, he spoke with clear words, his Aramaic perfect, “Come! I will teach you to fish for people!”

This voice…his voice had something of deep love and friendship in it.

Then you saw his eyes! You had never seen anything like this before. In those eyes was every answer you were ever looking for your entire life! Those deep eyes looked on you as no one had before, love seemed to come all over you.

Then, instantly, he turned around and walked quickly away, going towards Zebedee’s boat.

You looked back at your brother, your boat, your nets, the Sea. Then you ran. You ran after this man. Your heart beating as never before.

You called out to this man, as if to hold his hand again, and never to turn back.

What an incredible God we have!