Good Morning Friends,
This morning we see how God opens and shuts doors and produces amazing and immediate results when the timing is right related to the divine plan. The Holy Spirit makes success out of what some call failures. And it happens when the focus is on God. Today we see how Jesus guides the disciples to follow and learn how to catch people for the Kingdom. They had hardly a clue what they were getting into, but they followed right then and there. A true act of faith. But friends, when our prayers shift from something selfish to something special for the community of those who believe, good things happen. As with Hannah, God’s mercy eventually prevails. We however need patience and trust. Jesus is knocking and calling. Are You Open To Waiting To Catch The Spirit Of A Relationship With God?
Scripture: There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
1 Samuel 1:1-8 (NRSV)
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
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.
John 21:1-14 (NRSV)
Message: It is good to have a Spirit of expectation, but have you ever wondered where you get if from. People get frustrated when they do not have any fruit to show for their lives…no fish…broken nets…no children. People desire a legacy. And sometimes we have to ask God to birth in us a solution. We have to hear a word from God and to put that word into action believing that God has already prepared us for the task at hand…. thanking God in advance before it happens. Realizing that we are not in charge. Still, we need to live our lives confidently as a prayer already answered. When we step out in faith good things can happen. Hannah took a risk and so did the disciples in today’s Gospel reading. In Mark 1 Jesus was calling fishermen from the beach to become fishers of people and He would remind them of this purpose after He had died and rose from the dead. Once again, he would call from the beach. John 21 recounts that story of breakfast with Jesus and the second calling where He guides us to cast our nets one more time after a long night without a catch. He does this, so we might know His abundance and return to the task for which we have been called. Yes, we are to be followers of Christ and fishermen for His Kingdom…. casting our nets so others might also be captured by the amazing love of God. In time the disciples would become very effective fishers of people. At the foundation of this outcome is the love of God and grace and forgiveness manifested in the power of the Holy Spirit. But we also need a patience in waiting until the time is right for things to happen God’s way. So too with Hannah. She was unable to conceive. Many people in Hannah’s time would have mocked her and assumed she was not right with God because of her situation. This is so common, even in the Body of Christ today. But it was not a result of an evil curse or and attack of the devil. It was God temporarily closing a door for a reason. Samuel was on the way, and the timing of things mattered. We too experience closed doors. There is a time and a season for everything. But when the time has fully come God sends forth his Son calling you to follow.
And So, if you find a closed door, ask Jesus to open it. But if He does not, then do not fight it. Be patient. Try asking the Holy Spirit why the door is closed and try listening to the response. Sometimes, when God wants to bring the very best, He might shut out the inferior from coming to you. He might deny you of certain job because of a bigger one He has for you. God might close doors on some relationships in order to bring you into a better relationship that will turn your life around and glorify God. He might stop your preferred opportunities from manifesting because He has opened doors for you elsewhere. Barrenness does not have to do only with childbearing. One may be barren in ministry, academically, financially, professionally, materially, socially, psychologically, politically, and worse of it all, spiritually. We have to be willing to walk through the door God is calling us to so we might be fruitful for the Kingdom. Maybe as you are reading this, there are judgmental people around you who have concluded that nothing good can ever come out of you. But God says to hold on it is not over yet. Do not give up. God has the final say over your life and situation. He has not written the last chapter of your life’s book yet. Your miracle can still happen. God is still in the business of miracles and surprises. So do not second guess God. Sometimes, God closes a door because He has hidden you from the final outcome. Hold on. Sometimes, God will close doors so that we can learn to pray more and to teach us to pray strategically and precisely. Sometimes, God close doors so that we will stop trusting in the world’s agenda. You might have been given hope day after day, by the world’s soothing words of promise. Until one day you are disappointed. God close doors when you are being prepared for the task ahead. And sometimes, God closes doors so that you will wait for His time. For God’s time is the best. Now is the time for us to learn what we need to know in order to be what God wants us to be. Meditate on that and consider what God is calling you to do with the gifts you have been given and skills you can develop that can be used to glorify God. Know that we each have a purpose in the Spirit that brings us to life.
Pray we are not ashamed of our past or afraid of the future. Pray have the passion to share the Gospel. Pray we love enough to feed those who hunger for spiritual food. Pray we too are catching people for Christ. Pray we appreciate the power and passion in the name and person and Spirit of Jesus. Pray we have a passion for Jesus and feed His sheep. Pray that in every difficult situation in life we find the peace and strength in the words of Jesus. Pray that in prayer we would find perspective, perseverance, and patience in the face of persecution. Pray that here we would discover that peace is a fruit of the Spirit, a true hope for a stressed-out world. Pray that in prayer God would cultivate this peace in our lives. Pray we grow in peace with God and are reconciled to God and within ourselves as well. Pray we have the right motivation to evangelize. Pray we have peace in God’s plan and obedience to God’s will. Pray that we become real followers of Christ… caring for…cleansed for and committed to that which He has called us. Pray that we be convincing Christians…. worthy of the name. Pray we are no longer casual about the catch. Pray our prayers move from being selfish to something that will be a blessing to God. Pray we keep following and serving God. Pray we meditate on the promises of God. Pray we keep praising and giving thanks for what God is about to do. Pray we have faith. Pray we wait for God’s timing. Pray we hold on, keep following God and when the timing is right be changed.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 