Today is April 26th.
   
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.     
   
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John chapter 21.  


Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a]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. 
   

Let’s take a moment and try to step into this familiar story. Some of the disciples – career fishermen – went out to fish and caught nothing. These guys weren’t fishing for sport – if they didn’t catch, they didn’t eat. Imagine how they felt: imagine their weary muscles. Imagine how exhausted they were. Imagine the smell of the air, the stink of the disciples themselves, the frustration of an empty haul, and the feeling of empty stomachs. It had been a bad night. Imagine yourself in the scene with them. What is your attitude like in frustrating moments like these?  
   
This next bit in the story makes me laugh… these frustrated fishermen have been up all night, have nothing to show for it, and Jesus calls out to them: ‘friends, haven’t you caught any fish?’ As you listen to the passage again, consider why Jesus would ask a question that he very well knew the answer to…   
   
“Throw your net on the other side of the boat and you’ll find fish…” What a silly thing to say! Fish don’t congregate only on one side of a boat. Plus, Jesus was a carpenter, not a fisherman. Why listen to Him? Why follow His instruction? I think that the disciples had begun to notice a pattern: when Jesus says to do something… and you do it… remarkable things happen. How do you respond to the instruction of the Lord when it doesn’t make sense to you? Have you seen enough of His goodness to just say ‘yes’? Or do you struggle to follow in faith? As we end our time of prayer, review places where you may have struggled to obey God’s instruction… and invite God back into those places with a willing and teachable heart.  
 
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   

Music: "We Say Yes" - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)