Cast Your Nets, Again

This is going to be a brief story and word of encouragement today brothers and sisters. It all started as my job shifted to being at home into working in the office a few days out the week."How am I going to get my kids in time driving from Savannah?, Gas prices are going up, and we are just getting into the swing of our routine," were some of the complaints I shared with loved ones as I debated this change. At the time I knew the job was needed and we had became accustomed to bi-weekly pay to help meet our basic needs and wants. So, what was I going to do go into the office or quit?

Well quitting was really not an option though I wanted it to be. Yet I knew that going unto the office would birth something new in me. The first few weeks of traveling to the office were used to talk on the phone, pray, worship, and or listen to teachings from various instructors. This time became time that I soon started to enjoy but the ride home was always the worse. Upon leaving the office I would be met with traffic and a journey that usually only took thirty minutes became and hour.

This was extremely frustrating! So, management worked with my schedule so that I can leave an hour early, so that I can pick up my children on time. One day this week the traffic was stopped for about an hour. No movement whats so ever just sitting for minutes at a time. I didn't know if I would make it on time to pick up my kids.This was so frustrating that I decided on that day that I was going to find another route and this would be the last time coming that way.

This is something we often do it doesnt work out in a situations and then we put this absolute that we will never or we arent doing that anymore. Now granted there are situations where I hope that we keep our word and never do it again but this was not an absolute. Yet, I was going to find a hidden treasure to trying something that didn't work out the first time again.

Since I'm really flexible the next day despite it raining like cats and dogs I began to go on this route again as the GPS said. I debated on the phone with my pastor whether I should try a new route or go the same route I usually went. I continued on the route the GPS sent me and by my surprise it was clear what had took me an hour and a half the day before had took half the time today. Not only did it take half the time but God wanted to do something new that as I journeyed on the same route I went on a different exit that was faster that I had never traveled before. Shocked I began to talk to God and ask him to show me this in the bible that I wouldn't just be trying to make something up out of my own flesh. This is what came to mind:

And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. -John 21:6

The passage about Peter and the other disciples came to mind so I went home and looked it up. This passage was hope and life to me that though things may look the same in our lives that we should not leave that route because it seems familiar and we believe we know the outcome. This could be applied to many situations in our life maybe your worked for a company before, tried to go to school before, or you surroundings look the same that doesn't mean that God doesn't want to do something new.

What I love about this scripture is that they had been in the same place that was unfruitful that didn't bring them any fish when Jesus told them to try again. I know many people focus on the fact that they cast their nets on the other side but the revelation that God gave me was they were in the same place. They never moved! Jesus use that place that didn't seem to have any fish to bring a multitude of fish.

Upon Jesus's direction that in the old place he had did a new thing. That in a land that looked dry and barren that rivers came forth and trees were fruitful. This is the hope we have as followers of Christ. No situation is too much for him. That just because that situation looks over and done with it is not. That God has the power to bring life substance into places where there was none.

My prayer is that if you are in situation and it seems as if you have been here before that God enlightens the eyes of your understanding. That you realize he brought you or allowed you to stay in this place where he can bless you. That in this place he would use this foolish place to confound your earthly wisdom. That Behold he will do a new thing and it spring forth now (Isaiah 43:19). That in every desert every area in your life that rivers of living water would spring forth and barren places would now be fruitful. Places where there once was no fish or finances that financial breakthrough would happen. That when he does this new things in you that you will leave everything and follow him in Jesus name I pray.

Amen

Peace & Favor