Try the Other Side – by Eliezer Gonzalez
May 20, 2015 3152
Many of the disciples of Jesus were fishermen. They were professional fishermen. They had been to fishing university and had advanced degrees in fishing. They knew how to fish, when to fish, and where to fish.
One night a group of them went fishing, because that was the right time to go fishing. They used all the proper techniques but they caught nothing… nothing at all. That’s very embarrassing for a fisherman. You can read the story in John 21:1–6.
I remember once taking my son out fishing and catching nothing. That was very embarrassing for me as a father. I also remember taking him to the fish and chip shop afterwards, where we enjoyed… well, fish and chips. It kind of made me feel better. The fishing trip hadn’t been entirely wasted. I’m not a very good fisherman.
But the disciples were professionals, and they had caught nothing. It was early in the morning when they were returning back to shore, when Jesus called out to them,
“Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No.” they answered. They hadn’t realised it was Jesus.
The Bible then tells us that Jesus said,
“Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” – John 21:6
Perhaps you weren’t meant to throw your net in the water this close to shore. Perhaps you weren’t meant to throw it on the right hand side of the board. Every proper fisherman knew that you would never catch any fish that way. But they did it anyway, and the Bible says that,
When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. – John 21:6.
Then they recognized that it was Jesus. He was waiting for them on the shore, with a fire ready so that they could all have breakfast of BBQ fish together.
What is it that you are fishing for in your life? How long have you been a frustrated fisherman? A long time? I know… you have done everything by the book, and you have listened to all the advice of your friends, and still… no fish? Einstein reportedly defined insanity as, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Perhaps it’s time to listen to Jesus on the shore. Perhaps its time to do something differently to whatever you have done before… even if others think you’re nuts.
Because Jesus knows where the fish are. He knows the fish you need to catch. And he is waiting on the shore for you, ready to celebrate your fishing success with you.
So how about you try the other side … where no one has ever fished before?
– Eliezer Gonzalez
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