THE WORD 4 ev 1

Today’s reading is Luke 5 (click here for link)

I remember the first--and the last--time I ever took my wife deer hunting (actually, we were engaged at the time). I thought it would be fun watching her get out of her comfort zone and experience something new. You see, she is not really the out-of-doors type. So, I suppose, I shouldn’t have been surprised when I arrived at her house to pick her up and discovered that she had every intention of bringing the comforts of home with her on our hunting trip together. There I stood protesting as she began loading the truck with snacks, drinks, magazines, and dog treats—yes, DOG TREATS--for her little Yorkshire terrier named Schatzie. I couldn’t believe it, she was bringing her little yippy dog along, too! This was going to be the worst hunting trip ever. I could already hear the deer running for miles ahead of us. This was never going to work. And I knew there was no point arguing with her about proper hunting gear or procedure. So there we sat that evening, in a deer blind, me shushing Pam every 30 seconds and getting more and more frustrated with Schatzie as he excitedly rustled around in the leaves at the bottom of the blind; and it got even worse when Pam insisted on letting Schatzie out on the leash to go pee. I was just shaking my head, thinking about all the deer I could have seen. This was a disaster.

However, apparently deer are not as sensitive as we usually believe (or there were a bunch of very dumb deer in the woods that night), because despite all that noise and ruckus, I couldn’t believe it when the deer started emerging from the brush to nibble on the oats over which we were hunting. It wasn’t just one or two, but lots and lots of deer. They didn’t seem to mind Pam or Schatzie or my fussing at all!

This morning we encounter a similar incident. We read Luke’s description of the miraculous catch of fish. Jesus asks Peter and his friends to do something that was against their better nature. These men were expert fisherman. They know the in’s and outs, the do’s and don’ts of fishing. And one thing every 1st century fisherman knew was that you don’t go fishing in the middle of the day—besides, there didn’t seem to be any point because the fish weren’t out there, anyway. A night of fruitless fishing had proven that.

But Jesus insists. And those tired fishermen oblige this preacher. Out they go, into the deep water. It doesn’t make any sense to do so, but much like the woods on that day I took my wife hunting, I suppose the lake was filled with dumb fish that day; because by a complete miracle, the fisherman get the catch of their lives. But Jesus informs them that the fishing wasn’t over—not by a long shot. From now on, they will be fishers of men.

Perhaps it is this way for each of us, too. Jesus has called you to be a fisher for men. It is not always going to make sense to do so. It will be awkward and sometimes seem foolish. Things won’t always be “just right.” But if we wait until things are perfect, we will never get out into the woods where the deer are, or out into the deep where the fish are waiting.

Don’t wait. Don’t plan too much. Just go!

Here am I Lord… send me.

Pastor Aaron