another strange reuqest - don't think you know better

John 21:4-6, "Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."

For the longest time, the magnitude of this scripture was lost on me but now that I have been in the working world awhile it has really come to light.

To set the stage: these were professional fishermen, it was their life. They were probably taught by their parents and if so, were just working the family business, nothing glamorous. It was hard work and they worked all night. Why did they work all night? Because fish can see during the daytime! Nowadays the fishermen on the Sea of Galilee use transparent fishing line but in Bible days, there was only rope. Thus, you fish at night. This brings us to the moment Jesus walks up to the beach.

Essentially, Jesus is asking a bunch of professionals (people who would have known better than to do what he was asking) to fish during the day. Their obedience defied simple, life-tested logic and their reward was breathtaking. They had never seen anything like it in all their years and they knew it was God.

Jesus may ask me to do something that doesn't make any sense, but he knows what he's doing.

Trying to be obedient to God? Opposition is coming

Exodus 5:7-9

“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota.”

I have never had a “burning bush” experience but I know one thing: if I intend to be obedient to God, opposition will come; Things will likely get worse before they get better. Take Moses for instance: God told Moses to go and speak to Pharaoh. God told Moses that Pharaoh would not listen. God did not tell Moses things would get much harder for the Israelites before they got better.

Moses’ reply is oh so familiar in verses 22 and 23, “Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."”

As if God needed to be reminded that He has not yet rescued His people!

I tend to think if God is leading me to do something or I am obedient to something in His word that my success is easy or guaranteed quickly. (As an example, look at the life of John the Baptist. If success is getting you head chopped off in prison, then he was successful. Although, he was certainly obedient to God to the end.)

God is aware of His obligations and he will fulfill them but he is not a Cosmic Credit Card to be charged at my whim.

My responsibility is to trust God, to trust his heart, to trust His ways. This is what it means to love.