Verse of the Day 2/5

Through the Bible - Exodus 35-36, Matthew 23:23-39

 

Good morning,

Some of my earliest memories are of fishing.  Every summer we would go up to Michigan's UP to visit my grandparents.  Normally we would spend a week camping or at a cottage on a lake, fishing.  We also spent a lot of time fishing by my grandparents who lived near the Menominee River.  By the time I was 5 years old I was adept at using a fishing rod and was catching fish.

 

In order to become a good fisherman you need to learn some things.  You learn about different baits and lures for different fish.  You look for structure, things for fish to hide behind or protect themselves from the rivers currents.  You learn about the different kinds of fish.  A bass will inhale a plastic worm.  A northern will follow a lure right up to the boat or shore, sometimes striking at the last instant, other times casually turning away.  Basically, different methods are necessary for different kinds of fish.

 

Some days it seams that you catch fish one after the other (these days are rare).  On other days cast after cast produces little (in number or size) or nothing.

 

For today's verse we'll turn back in Matthew to chapter 4 where Jesus begins to call His disciples.

 

Matt 4:19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.   NKJV

Jesus started with some fishermen.  John MacArthur describes some of the qualities that make a person a good fisherman that can also help them in reaching others for Christ.  "First, a fisherman knows he must be patient to locate a school of catchable fish.  Second, a good fisherman must have perseverance in going place to place, sometimes repeatedly, until he finds the fish.  Third, effective fishermen have good instincts about being in the right place at the right time for dropping their line or net.  Poor timing has lost many catches, of fish and of people.  Finally, a good fisherman stays out of sight as much as possible.  Similarly, the effective evangelist does not get in the way of his or her witnessing, so as not to be a hindrance to sinners coming to Christ."

 

Something I didn't mention earlier, fishing can be addictive.  Even catching one or two can bring you back for more.  There is something about the thrill of seeing a topwater strike of a bass using  "buzz bait" or a trout with a perfectly presented "fly".  There is also something about the thrill of leading someone else to Christ, whether directly one on one, or leading them to church where someone else may do the landing.

 

We've gone through several chapters of Matthew, where Jesus has been teaching us what it takes to be a disciple, to be a fisher of men.  First and foremost is to take to heart the "Jesus" creed.  "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matt 22:37-40 

 

Think of the attributes that John MacArthur mentions above, do you see some of them in yourself?  Have you been called to be a fisher of men?  You'll never know what each day will bring, but persevere, be prepared to spend some time fishing.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Matt 4:18-23

 

The First Disciples

 

18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

 

21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

NLT