There are times in our lives where we feel like God is telling us to go somewhere but we worry that no one will follow and that we'll be left out on our own, going after something that we then feel may be wrong. But how will you know if you don't go. A movement of hundreds always begins with the one.
God took me to a particular passage in the Bible tonight, John 21:8, which when I first read it, didn't make much sense on it's own, so I read the story before it.
"Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m
going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go
with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they
caught nothing.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved
said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say,
“It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had
taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread." (John 21:1-9)
Looking mostly at the final part of this story we see that when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he got out and started making his way to Jesus through the water. It was then that the others started to follow. When they got to the shore, they found not only was Jesus there, but He was there with some prepared food.
Sometimes we can get the strangest lessons from parts of the Bible we don't expect, but this is what I feel God is saying to me at this point. It didn't take much for Simon Peter before he made his move. He didn't wait around for the others, he didn't wait for someone else to go first, he didn't even discuss with the others what they wanted to do. He knew what to do, and he went for it. It was then a group effort for the others that followed. When they got to the shore they found not only was Jesus there, but there was prepared food.
I think sometimes making that first move can be difficult, being the leader is hard work but if you're not leading, who will? Someone always has to make that first move, and if it's a move towards Jesus why should you wait? Make the move now, and the others will follow you! When you make it to Him, you will be rewarded!
Thankful for: Nice words
We had a women's event at church tonight, and as I was chatting to 2 ladies they somehow got into a discussion about the great things I have done for them. For me, I always find these times a little awkward, and don't know what to say. Really, I am just being the best person I can be and it's not really any trouble to do the things they talk about. But I always find myself smiling afterwards. It's nice hearing good things about myself, knowing that what I am doing is making a difference in someone else's life and hearing how they can see the influence of God in my life makes it even better.
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