Business as usual
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. John 21:3
Have you ever gone on a trip or planned a big event, but then when it was over felt let down? Even though the vacation or celebration was a success, you still experienced feelings of sadness and even depression because the occasion was over. What happened? Why the disappointment? Was it because there was something wrong or were you just not ready to go back to your everyday life again? After such a happy occurrence, you just felt like you were not quite ready for it to be over or maybe you just didn’t know what to do with yourself now after so much activity. We all have experienced this kind of remorse and glumness, but in the end, we went back to business as usual of our job, home and quietness.
In today’s reading, we find the disciples in this type of circumstances. After spending the last three years in ministry with Jesus, then going through the fear of losing Him at the cross, they were just figuring out how to deal with the fact that He had raised up from the dead but didn’t quite know what that meant for their future yet. After Jesus had shown Himself to them in the room where they were all hiding out, a group of the followers decided it was time to get back to business as usual. That is before Jesus called them out of that life. So, Peter and the guys went fishing. It was a good plan to keep them busy and come up with some food and provision, but after spending the night at work on the boat, they ended up with nothing to show for it. However, when the morning came, they saw Jesus at the shore, and He told them to cast their nets one more time on the other side of the boat. That is when success came and that is when they knew He showed up to help and be with them yet again. Even though they hoped for more of these meetings with Jesus, they never really knew when it was going to happen. So they went back to business and life as usual as they waited.
Maybe you are in a time of waiting or just getting things back to normal after some extenuating circumstances? Or maybe you are just at an impasse and don’t know what is next for you. As you commit each day to the Lord and continue in the business as usual, He will show up and He will lead you in the next step. Your part is to be ready to follow the direction and go through the doors that He opens up for you to walk through. Each step of the way, the disciples were given opportunities to take the next step and make the decision to obey or continue to go their own way. When they did what Jesus said, that is when their miracles showed up. Your miracle and change of course will come to, but it is up to you to follow through.
Today I want to encourage you to first of all commit your whole life to following the leading of the Holy Spirit. He has a great plan for you and when you do follow, you may experience some low points, but they will just be times of rest not disappointment or discouragement. If you feel that you are stuck or at a point of being ready to step into what is next for your life, ask the Holy Spirit to make that path plain and clear and to give you the faith and grace to take the next steps when it is time. Next, expect Him to show up and be watching out for the open doors that He puts in front of you. You may even have thoughts of “That’s not it” but be sure to check in with Him to make sure you are not walking by and missing out on that opportunity just because it didn’t make sense to you at the time. He knows what is best and He also knows what you will enjoy if you just give it a chance. If the disciples had not been willing to throw their net in on the other side of the boat even though they had already be fishing all night long and caught nothing, they would have never experienced their miracle and worst of all, they would not have recognized that the LORD was there with them. Make the decision today to always be willing to take the risk of following Him even when it doesn’t make sense in your “business as usual” world. You will never know what is on the other side of those options until you take the step of faith He points you in.
Today’s scripture reading: John 21:1-14
1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:
2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.”
6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.
8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.
9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.
14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
The Daily Dose 