Lately, I’ve had some of the most enjoyable weeks with our son, Taylor. It started with an invitation: “Dad, would you be my partner in a fishing tournament?” I’m not nearly as good a fisherman as he is, but we have had great fun planning strategy and getting ready for the Saturday competition. Though I can’t report that we came close to winning, I have, once again, noticed God’s willingness to be involved in every aspect of our lives.
I could almost write a book about the many times God has revealed Himself to my children while fishing, and I am convinced it is because they simply ask. “Lord, will You help us?” The Father in Heaven relishes these invitations just as much as us earthly fathers do! And while He may not choose to let us catch the biggest fish every day, He has His ways of answering.
About ten years ago such an answer came as we reached the end of a grueling day of unsuccessful fishing. Eight-year-old Taylor finally determined the problem and stated, “We haven’t prayed!” I said, “You’re right, Taylor, why don’t you pray.” “Lord, will You help us catch a fish? We haven’t caught one all day.” Within a few minutes, this simple prayer was answered, but it was not the way Taylor had planned. His six-year-old sister, Kinsey, pulled in a good-sized catfish. To make matters worse, as her grandfather helped Kinsey bait her hook again, Taylor discovered, to his great dismay, that she had taken the last worm. Realizing sibling difficulty mounting, I quickly borrowed some of Solomon’s wisdom and cut the poor worm in two, giving half to Taylor and half to Kinsey. As Taylor walked to the pond, he asked with a pitiful voice, “Dad, why can’t I catch a fish?” For some reason, a Bible story came to mind. “Remember when Peter couldn’t catch anything one day? Jesus told him to fish out in the deep.” Immediately, Taylor replied, “You mean to tell me, if I cast out in the middle I will catch a fish?” I quickly wondered if I had given a wrong reply; we never caught fish in the middle of that pond! “Uh, Taylor, I’m not sure…” But it was too late. As half a worm flew out to the middle of the pond, a little voice yelled, “If Jesus said it… it has to be true!” I kid you not, within three seconds he was reeling in a big catfish.
After Taylor proudly carried the fish to us and pulled the hook out of its mouth, I noticed him retrieve a tiny piece of that half of a worm. As he took off running back to the pond, I yelled, “What are you doing? We’re ready to go!” Taylor shouted back, “But Peter didn’t catch just one!” Within a minute, the little fisherman was reeling in his second catch of the day.
As we thank the Lord for His great love, may our ears be open to His invitation. A long time ago, some fishermen heard these words and were never the same.
“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” Matt 3:18-19