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Scripture for the day: John 21:6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some [fish].”  So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
Thought for the day: We’re all familiar with the story aren’t we?  The disciples have decided to go fishing, something they’re good at because of their upbringing.  I think they were discouraged because they hadn’t seen Jesus for a while and were becoming convinced that the whole grand adventure with Him was over and were reverting back to the only thing they knew – fishing.  They’d fished all night and caught nothing (my grandson always says, “That’s why they call it fishing and not catching.”). Suddenly, as they approached the shore with an empty boat, the voice of the Master came hauntingly across the water through the early morning mist, telling them to try the other side of the boat.  And suddenly, success!  By the way, have you ever wondered why they were so quick to obey and throw their nets on the right side of the boat?  They didn’t know it was Jesus speaking until after they’d caught so many fish. They were also experienced enough to know that which side of the boat they fished from should have made little or no difference in the catch.  There must have been something in the tone of that voice that commanded respect, the kind of respect that leads to almost instant trust and obedience.  Just wondering.
          Very early in life (almost from birth) we are trained to be successful according to the world's definition of success. We are driven by goals and accomplishments from the day we take our first steps and ride our first bike. As we grow older, we are pressured to accumulate knowledge and "things" in order to prove our success.  In our Christian walk, Jesus calls us to a new definition of success - one determined not by what we accomplish, but by our obedience. The disciples walked and talked with Jesus, but they still faced many challenges with faith and obedience.  And don’t we all?  That realignment of our notions of success may be one of the most difficult steps we ever take with the Master (remember, all but one of the disciples died a martyr’s death and none achieved any degree of “success” as we generally understand it. 
          Nevertheless, the disciples were successful that morning. But we must understand that the large number of fish did not define their success. They would have been successful even if the nets remained empty. They were successful the moment they were obedient and threw out the net. One thousand years earlier, King Saul was told to "attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them," (1 Samuel 15:3). But Saul allowed the Amalekite king and the best livestock to survive. He tried to cover His disobedience by saying the calves and lambs were for a sacrifice to God. "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22).
          In any task we undertake for God, it's easy to become discouraged by our apparent lack of success. We often feel inadequate - and those feelings increase when our goals seem to be elusive. But we must remember, the outcome of the task is secondary to our obedience. God doesn't need our "fish" - He wants our devotion and trust. He desires that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Let's take our eyes off the accomplishment of the "catch" and what we can produce. Rather, let's focus on walking each step according to His leading. Let's concentrate all our effort on obeying His call to cast out the net. Amen!
Now go take on your world.  -  Bill