Matthew 4:19  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

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I love fishing. Dad loves fishing. We spent many happy hours fishing on lakes and along creek banks when I was growing up. We fished on private lakes and ponds. This time of year brought plentiful rains which led to ample runoff below the spillway at our local lake. We walked along the creeks and caught crappie by the dozen. Those were good times.

You have no doubt heard the old saying, “A bad day fishing beats a good day working anytime.” 

There is special delight in watching the sun rise over water. The quiet of those hours, the birds beginning their days, baitfish slapping the surface, and the natural humidity have a way of feeding and calming a soul. Is it any wonder Peter went back to fishing to calm his nerves after he denied Jesus and before he was fully restored?

Is it any wonder Jesus chose fishermen as his first followers? He chose men who treasured God’s good creation. He chose men who received God’s good gifts and passed them along to others. He chose men who knew how to work together to accomplish more than they could alone. 

These men who drew fish from the sea were offered the opportunity to draw people into God’s Kingdom. (Thank you, Leon Morris and the Pillar New Testament Commentary for this idea.)

These disciples would learn from Jesus. They would also join him in bringing men and women, boys and girls into contact with the living God, the Creator of lakes and streams and fish and people. 

Jesus’ first call was for them to follow him. Imagine that opportunity. God With Us asks you to spend your days and nights with him. What you see and what you hear and what he equips you to do is beyond parallel. Nothing compares. What are the rhythms and routines of God in the flesh? How does he turn fishers of fish into fishers of people? 

What would it be like to walk with Jesus through your day today? What would he see that you and I often miss? What would he do that you and I either choose not to do or cannot do in our own strength and abilities?

As Jesus invited Peter and Andrew, James and John to follow him and to fish for people, let us follow him and them and do the same. Invite Jesus into your day. Expect him in every setting. Include him in every conversation. Trust him for whatever you need. 

Jesus turned the world upside down with a handful of fishermen, a tax collector, a conspiracy theorist, a dreamer, and a doubter. There’s no telling what he could do with you!

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I will invite Jesus into my day.

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Dear Jesus, lead the way today. I will follow you. Give me eyes to see what you see. Give me ears to hear what you are saying. Give me wisdom for every situation that comes my way. Give me strength for the tasks before me. Give me a full and meaningful day. Amen.