5 September 2019 - strength for patience (with joy)

Today's Readings

(Audio)

"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets."

On our own our efforts come up short. We the whole night, dark and long, laboring at this thing at which we should have skill, and yet ending no better than we began. It would be easy to become impatient and give up. Or so it would be without God's own strength making every power strong in us by his own glorious might. He not only gives us power to plow through and to succeed. He gives us power to be patient and to endure. And not only that, but to do so joyfully.

that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will
through all spiritual wisdom and understanding
to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit
and growing in the knowledge of God,
strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might,
for all endurance and patience,
with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share
in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.

What shape does this gift actually take in our lives?

"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."

We hear the voice of Jesus calling us where we had been tempted to give up, or perhaps had given up already. This voice gives us a new strength to lower the nets. It gives us a new joy knowing that there is a new and certain hope ahead of us.

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.

This is the only way we're going to be able to deal with the emotional roller coaster that fishing for men can otherwise become. People don't always convert overnight. We need supernatural patience and endurance to be faithful and to continue to care about their souls. We need the witness of God's joy even as we wait for Jesus to lead us to the catch.

Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men."
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

Just as God delivered us from the power of darkness and into the Kingdom of his beloved Son, so does he desire to do for all who do not yet know him. He gives us strength to become fisherman toward this end.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.