"As He went a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending their nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father in the boat with the hired men, and followed Him" Mark 1:19-20
Three little words in that passage caught me: mending their nets. I pondered what the heart condition of someone mending their nets would be, and if that had anything to do with the immediacy of their response. Mending nets implies that there is a hole, perhaps a hole that cost them their catch. Maybe they are ready for a change, and Jesus, knowing all, waited until He knew they were ready to follow Him.
Meeting a friend for coffee the other day, I spied this package laying along the edge of the parking lot:
I started to step over, but was struck by the passage from Mark, and considered that this was a picture of someone mending their nets, someone desperate enough to leave the box in the gutter. In the same way I almost stepped over the box, how often do I step around those who are mending their nets? People waiting to hear Jesus calling to them are all around us.
A person in the process of starting over, whether it was their choice or not, has a hole in their net. Divorce can shake you to the core, forcing you to evaluate who you are, what you want, and even if anyone will ever want you again. A perfect time to hear the call of Christ, who will never leave or forsake you.
When we hear someone saying "I don't know how I will get through_______________", we who know the truth need to point them to Jesus. Jesus, who alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We don't need to have all the answers of how to solve their problem, which is something I struggle with. Maybe God has allowed the very event they are mourning to be their time of "net mending."
Maybe it is your voice He is wanting to use to say to them, "Come, follow Me."
I am praying that God open all of our eyes to the torn, dirty nets that surround us. May we have the courage to invite them to meet Jesus.
Great words! Great analogy. It is comforting to know that it is Jesus who calls to get our attention when we are mending our nets. He calls us so that he can do better for us.
ReplyDeleteGod has been speaking to me about growing my faith by expanding my expectations.
Wow... you are so right. Just recently I was on a Women's Retreat.... every woman has a story, a burden and a reason for being there.....So many times I get wrapped up in the busyness of my life and I fail to pay attention to others. Some may just need a smile, a kind word, a random act of kindness, a hug anything that may point them to Jesus. Since that retreat I am more aware of others and try my best to put others before myself. Deny myself and pick up His cross.....
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