The Fisherman

The Fisherman

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is The Fisherman from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

The Fisherman

Written by Luz Leigh - 06 November 2009

As I sat on the ground watching my friend Lane casting his line out into the clear waters of the small lake, I was reminded of several Bible passages about fishermen and patience. To be a good fisherman, an important trait one must possess is patience, something I lack when it comes to fishing. We knew there were fish in that lake, but they were not visible to the naked eye. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Romans as he encouraged them concerning their present suffering compared to a future glory, "But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Romans 8:25 KJV The NIV says it a little easier to understand: "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Patiently was the manner in which Lane fished; over and over he cast his line into the water.

Finally, a bass struck the lure and Lane pulled the fish to the bank. Lane dislodged the hook from the bass' mouth and tossed him back into the water. He was not fishing for "keepers," just fishing for the pleasure of it. Think on this for a minute. The Lord calls us to come to Him (casts His lure out into the waters of the world); we are "caught," but He does not keep us there on the bank, but sends us back out into the waters of the world. Not to be sinners as we were before He saved us, but to swim around with others and teach them of His love.

When Jesus was choosing His disciples, He walked along the shore of the sea of Galilee and found two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen by trade. Jesus knew they would possess the patience and fortitude to stick to a job until it was finished. Matthew 4:18-20 tells of the beginning of Peter and Andrew's ministry as disciples of Christ. "At once they left their nets and followed him."

All his life Lane has loved to bass fish. He has lots of memories of fishing trips he made with his three brothers. I love to listen as he tells of those times spent in a boat on local lakes or fishing from the banks of a nearby bayou. As he talks, I can sense the love those men have for each other. He tells of times when the pressures of his job would begin to crowd in and he would call up one or more of the brothers and say, "Let's go fishing." Fishing took him away from those pressures and gave him an opportunity to fellowship with his brothers. No matter whether it was just one or all three, as he fished and fellowshipped with his sibling(s), he was able to relax and return home refreshed, ready to face the responsibilities of work. When giving instructions to the Hebrews the Apostle Paul admonished them to "Let brotherly love continue." Hebrews 13:1 In Romans 12:9-10 the Apostle has this to say: "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love." Those four brothers loved each other as children and now in the senior years of their lives, that bond of love still abounds.

Having been reared as an only child, I missed out on that blessing of brotherly love. I suppose that is the reason I enjoy sitting on the front porch of their family home, listening to the brothers converse. At times the talk is of a serious nature; other times they are kidding each other about something. Laughter abounds and love overflows. God is good.

The sun has set; darkness will some cover the lake. Lane makes one last cast; catches nothing, but as he reels the lure back in, there is a peaceful look on his face. He is relaxed. Time now to head for the camp house and prepare for deer hunting tomorrow.

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