Go Fish

Every morning at the crack of dawn, a startling sound can be heard, there's no doubt the sound is that of an engine being switched on. While most people are peacefully asleep, this fisherman is awake, he moves the ropes from the dock, neatly arranges them and off he sails right into the darkness of the deep blue sea. This tradition of fishing in the early hours of the morning has continued for a long period of time. Fisherman know quite well and attest to the fact that, 'if you start early, you stand a better chance of success.'

This principle is pretty much applicable to the Christian life don't you think? The householder in Matthew 20:1 went to hire labourers early in the morning, Jesus resurrected early on the first day of the week according to Mark 16:9. Mark 1:35 further records Jesus waking up early (before or at dawn) in the morning, went to a secluded place and there held communion with His Father. All these encounters indicate that there is a special blessing that comes in the early hours of the morning. Have you been having communion with God in the early hours of each morning? If the success/victory of Jesus was dependent on those early hours, imagine how much victory we can gain when we do the same. 

In Mark 1:17 Jesus says to them "...come after me and I will make you to become fishers of men." Jesus leads by example, He calls them to be like Him for He came to serve, He came to restore and redeem humanity. Similarly, we like the great fisherman can serve (service to God and man) while it is still day. Is it no wonder that John records Jesus saying "I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4

The work of fishing for souls or witnessing for Jesus, is not done haphazardly, it is done skillfully like the fisherman does. It is not a work that is just done by teaching, but is characterized by practice, through leading an exemplary life -- a life of sacrifice, we will be given power to reach many. "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth reapers into his harvest." Let's go fishing.

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23