He said to them, “Cast the net on 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 of the quantity of fish. — John 21:6

We witnessed many people working together this morning at the beach to catch fish. Locals come from all around to help pull in the nets from the fishing boats and then purchase the fish at a discounted price! The parallels between fishing and winning souls for Jesus are amazing.

• The people don’t know what (or if) they’ll catch anything, but still, they diligently work hard to catch fish. Their lives depend on it. They do this consistently, regardless of the outcome. We are called to go and reach the world, making disciples of all nations. The outcome is irrelevant, it’s about our obedience! We can’t NOT tell people about Jesus!
• The fish caught are all different! Shapes and sizes, colors and types… but they are all able to get caught in the net! God’s salvation is available for all! God can redeem anyone at any time from anything! No two people are alike. Once caught in the net, though, there is a commonality of redemption in each person!
• It takes a group of people to pull the nets in! Similarly, it takes many people to disciple and pour into new believers! It takes churches and people, and ministries and willing hearts to work together in unity for the Kingdom of God!
• There is a sense of excitement and celebration as the fish in the nets come into sight. Do we rejoice and rally around new believers? Do we want to just get a glimpse of God’s miraculous work when a lost sinner is found?
• After the fish are caught, they all serve a different purpose — either sold to make an income or cooked/eaten to provide nourishment. Their lives are given up instantly when they get caught in the net (poor fishies), but ultimately, they fulfill a purpose greater than themselves! We do the same! We give up our lives for the Master the moment we get caught in the net. We are not our own.

Enjoy some pics! Meditate on the Word, and go catch some fish!