The Lord's disciples had spent
all night fishing but had failed by their own efforts to catch
anything. Now the criteria by which a man
is judged an able fisherman is always the amount of fish he
can catch compared to those of less skill. So these men were
no doubt depressed by the dearth of their catch and disgusted
at the time they had wasted. This was not the first time they
had so labored in being unsuccessful. But the Lord of the seas knew
exactly where the net needed to be cast to fill it to overflowing.
He who made the fish and fashioned the sea in which they swam has
never failed to give his children the blessings that they need
at the time their need is greatest. Had they filled their nets with
fish by their own prowess, they would not have appreciated the
bounty which the Lord supplied. It is a true thing that men are
often filled with their own importance and are convinced of their own
ability to provide for themselves. Self-sufficient religious men
will have the rewards of their labors, but no more. How often
in the course of our lives have we toiled in seeming futility
or faced the emptiness of defeat only to have the Lord show His
hand and bless us with an abundance which we could not produce. Those
who know themselves to be without fish are the very ones who shall
receive a net full. He is our provider whose watch
care over us is more diligent than our own. He has made provision
for his children before they ever knew him. We can see this
clearly pictured in this account which is before us. He watched
over His children before they were aware of His presence. But
when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but
the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. The implication is
that He was standing there while it was still dark, watching over
every move they made, and they did not know He was there. The
Scriptures indicate that He chose His people and set His love on
them before they were ever born. We love him because he first
loved us. Oh, the riches of his grace and mercy who cared for
me when I was in darkness and walking contrary to his way.
His love would not let me go but held me in the palm of his
hand and the cradle of his love. But just as the sunrise revealed
his presence, so his presence reveals the dawning of a new
day for those who sat in darkness, for we have seen a great light.
He called out to them in such a way that they were reminded
of their barrenness. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children,
have ye any meat? They answered him, No. Until
a man is convinced of his sin, he will not seek a remedy for
it. He is faithful to awaken his children to their lost condition.
Paul could testify to this fact after he traveled down the Damascus
road. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and
now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God,
and they that hear shall live. He told them the solution to
their empty and pitiful situation, and he said unto them, Cast the
net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They
cast, therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for
the multitude of fishes. Those whom the Lord awakens,
he leads into the light of the gospel. He will not abandon his
own, but will bring them to himself. For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. He provided and prepared
them food, which they neither labored for nor had any hand
in procuring. Though they had a net full of
fishes, the meal was already complete when they got to the
shore. As soon then as they were come
to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid there on
in bread. We are bought with a price. We are a purchased possession. We have been fed with manna from
above and been given meat to eat that we knew not of. He invites
his children to eat of that meal which he provided. Jesus saith
unto them, Come and dine. And then he serves the meal himself.
Jesus then cometh and taketh bread and giveth them and fish
likewise. Some say the Lord gives all men
a chance to be saved. Yet there is nothing about the
salvation of the Lord that has anything to do with chance. The
Lord Jesus Christ intended to save His people when He came
into the world. He accomplished all that was
necessary to purchase their redemption, and He will present them faultless
before His Father. Do you hear the Father calling?
He said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. Come home, come home, it's suppertime. The shadows lengthen fast. Come
home, come home, it's suppertime. We're going home at last. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.