By Alec Niemi
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I took Christy our daughter fishing when she was about three. We were jigging for cod and got our hook caught on the bottom. Yarding on the line I felt it let loose from the bottom but it had snagged something that came up with the hook. It was round, long and soft sea cucumber. When I pulled it into the boat Christy had this radiant glow of excitement on her face. I told her we had caught and that they grew on the ocean floor. When we got home she ran into the house hollering, “Mom! Mom!” and then she stopped and turned to me and with an inquisitive voice asked…”Dad, what kind of a pickle was it we caught?”
Luke chapter five tells about how some fishermen were out fishing but were not catching anything. When Jesus told them to cast their nets out the other side of the boat they were skeptical but did it and then were surprised at the fish they caught. These fishermen then became disciples of Jesus and He told them they would become Fishers of men.
There is no greater joy than to see the radiant glow of excitement on a person’s face when they are ‘caught‘ by the reality of the Gospel and submit to the call of Jesus.
Anticipating a great year for ‘Fishers of Men,’ I trust that you have all your fishing gear in order so that 2009 will be a great year for fishing.
My prayer for you this week (and year).
“Lord I pray that when You speak, we will listen, leaving whatever we have to, in order to set our nets where you tell us to set them. And then Lord, that You would fill these nets so full that we will have to call our partners to help us bring in the catch. Amen.” Luke 5:4-10
Have a great week and a great year.
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http://thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog/2009/01/03/an_fishers-of-men/