5.1.2008
CHARTING THE COURSE
Peggy Banks
Director of Leadership Development
Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”
He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. —John 21:5-6, ESV
How many times have we been involved in an activity and think we have all the details figured out for a great return? All of a sudden we come to a situation or circumstance that doesn’t make sense. We come together and regroup knowing that we have taken adequate time to pray, plan, and prepare for our activity but no one is interested in what we are planning. We are trying so hard to figure it out when God gets a hold of our hearts and lives and says, “Hey why don’t you try this?”
We are heading out to new horizons of ministry. God is calling us to consider something new. We have always fished on the left side of the boat, but today God is saying, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some”. How many of us hesitate and think, “Oh, that is nothing new, I’ve been on the right side of the boat before.” Yet maybe God is doing a new thing!
“He [Jesus] has a right to interrupt your life. He is Lord. When you accepted Him as Lord, you gave Him the right to help Himself to your life anytime He wants.”
Henry T. Blackaby--Experiencing God
I think it is amazing that Jesus is already on land preparing the fish for breakfast when He invites the disciples to bring their fish with them to join Him in the meal (John 21:7-10).
Bringing in new fish, a catch that is too big for us to handle, requires obedience to God’s Word for the catch. A fisherman with a lot of experience and practice in the field of fishing, standing in a boat with his employees, after fishing all night and catching nothing, obeyed the words of a carpenter on the side of a lake. How many of us would listen and follow directions from someone that we clearly believed has no knowledge or experience in our field of expertise? Peter recognized that it was the Lord that was asking him to throw his net over on the right side of the boat and that brought Peter to a place of repentance and humility (John 21:7).
Hints for New Horizons
- Jesus said, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” Is Jesus calling you to throw out your nets to the other side of the boat? What does that mean for your ministry?
- What are some things you could do differently to make an impact in your community for Christ?
- How many times have you thought of an idea and said, “I’ve already tried that”? What was the idea? Do we need to try it again?
- What are some obstacles in your heart that may be keeping you from trusting the Word of God in the new ideas?
- Jesus is already frying the fish.
- What are some areas in your community where God is already at work?
- What are some ways that you can get involved in the work that God is doing?
- Feeding the homeless
- Visiting an abuse shelter
- Reading to a child in the community
- Is there anything in your heart that keeps you from trusting that God has it all figured out and knows what you need?
- Pride
- Fear
- Laziness
Help for the Leaders:
- Today offer up a prayer to God for help in charting a new course.
- Today lay down your nets and trust that God is doing a new thing.
- Today listen to the voice of Jesus speaking to you in your quiet time with Him. What is He saying?
- Today trust that He is already doing a new work and is inviting you to get involved.
“Dear Lord, be good to me.
The sea is so wide,
And my boat is so small.”
Irish Fisherman’s Prayer
