Thought for the Day – Saturday 9th May
Words from John 21 v 1-14:
After these things Jesus showed
himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in
this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael
of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon
Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with
you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just
after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that
it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They
answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the
boat, and you will find some.” So
they cast it, and now they were not able to
haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said
to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put
on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other
disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not
far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore,
they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them,
“Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard
and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them;
and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come
and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to
them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus
appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
If we hadn’t been in Lockdown, today would have been the day that the
boys from our Boys’ Brigade would have gone on their annual trip to Cumbrae.
Over the years a little ritual has developed where they all go and cycle round
the island, spend some time in Millport itself and then when they are on the
ferry back to Largs they phone me and then Graham and I walk into town from our
home and join them on the ‘beach’ for some fish and chips!
Sadly, for them and for us our little routine will not be taking place
today – perhaps a wee autumnal trip might be possible instead though – who
knows!
Thinking of the fish and chips and my time with the boys and officers
blethering on the shoreline made me think of this passage from the Bible where
Jesus appears to his disciples for a third time after his resurrection and
shares fish and bread with them. This is yet another time for Jesus to reassure
some of his disciples that all will be well, and if you read on in the passage,
Jesus takes time to reassure Peter in particular that he is truly forgiven for
his denial of Jesus those three times and subsequently Peter is entrusted to share
in the work of the ‘Good Shepherd’ and look after Jesus’ sheep and lambs.
It is interesting that when Jesus was no longer physically with the
disciples they somehow lost confidence in themselves, lost that sense of
purpose Jesus had given them, so they reverted to what they knew best, to the
familiar, they went back to their roots, to fishing – not successfully this
time though, that is, until Jesus intervenes and then there is that great catch
of fish. It seems that Jesus coming to them on the shoreline reassures them
that he will still be with them at all times his spirit guiding and leading
them; it restores that confidence they once had and that sense of purpose Jesus
was entrusting to them. So much given to them over a shared breakfast of fish
and bread on that shoreline!
We may no longer be able to be physically present with each other at
this time, we too may feel a sense of loss for all that we are missing of life
at this time; for many of us due to circumstances we are unable to return to
the familiar as the disciples did.
However, we can always turn to what we know best - our faith, our God,
our Lord Jesus - and in so doing be reassured that this time will pass and we
will once more be able to share in the work of our ‘Good Shepherd’ and help to
look after his sheep and his lambs – which incidentally we can still do at this
time through our prayers, our phone calls and our loving concern for each
other.
Prayer
Loving Lord,
Grant that we may know your risen presence in our lives at this time
and always. Turn us to what we know best that we may in love feed your sheep
and care for your lambs. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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