Gone Fishing

I can’t remember when my dad first met Dutch, or how their friendship came about. Dutch was a rancher in eastern Colorado, who owned thousands of acres, we owned 5…..but somehow they met, and became friends. Dutch was kind and friendly and invited us to fish on his property.

The land was flat, hot….and well to a kid, of about 9…..boring! Dutch had two ponds stocked with catfish, and on a Saturday with the sun beating down, we went East to fish! My dad went to one pond, and sent my little brother and I to the other one…( I'm sure He wanted to distance himself from tangling fishing lines, baiting hooks, tying on sinkers)….well you have fished with kids before haven’t you?

Accepting our abandonment we began to fish……did we ever……as soon as the bait hit water….a bite, a hook set…a fish caught! Wow! To this day I have never seen fish so anxious, to leave their watery home!

In between baiting , and catching and reeling…I looked over at my Dad all alone, at his pond….he was watching us, and he was catching nothing, nada, zero! It did not take him long to end his self-imposed exile from my brother and I……He came over to our pond! And we all laughed, at the eager fish who couldn't wait to say yes to our wormy invitation!

The fishing that day was so good……You would have to hide behind a tree to bait your hook! Only there were no tree’s! We caught 39 cat-fish that day in less than an hour! We took them home to my mother, Mom was not as overjoyed to see that many fish! Especially, since she was 9 months pregnant with my little sister to be!

In John 21:1-11 the fishing for seven disciples was not so good…but it was all about to change, They had “Gone Fishing” with Jesus at the sea of Galilee!

When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5 "Men,“ Jesus called to them, "you don't have any fish, do you?" "No," they answered. 6 "Cast the net on the right side of the boat," He told them, "and you'll find some." So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish!


Where were the fish?

*Hiding, in the murky darkness, but when the creator of the world stepped on shore and directed them into the nets they complied! Imagine how excited those fish must have been to hear the voice of their creator…maybe they came closer to the surface to catch a glimpse of the Lord of heaven and gladly swam over Peter’s boat and leaped into his nets, just so they could have the privilege of obeying the Son of God! *( Author Unknown).

Did you know that all creation “waits in eager expectation for the Son’s of God to be revealed”! (Romans 8:19).

When your hope is fading and your resources limited....go fishing by faith with the Lord!