RETURNING TO OUR FORMER WAYS?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

RETURNING TO OUR FORMER WAYS?

Matt 4:18-20

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

John 21:3

3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

           Fishermen are always searching for the fish. Always on the move! Simon Peter had been called away from his former pursuit to catch men for Jesus. Now that Jesus had died and their dreams with Him, Peter went back to fishing.

           I’ve seen it too many times. The Christian will think the program of God has been nullified by evil and returns to his own former evil. It is insanity! It is like a man who has been rescued from a burning building and then running back into it. Only a fool would do such a thing. Yet I see it so often I’m tempted to join them in despair.

           There is a sad song we often sign at Christmas time. It is called “I heard the bells on Christmas day!” It tells an emotional story of how we sometimes think when things go wrong. Part of it goes this way:

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does he sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

           Baseball player, Yogi Berra, in his own special way, said “It ain’t over till it’s over!” We press on till the final out in the final inning. We swing and often miss but we swing away with our eye on the outfield wall. We don’t trudge slump shouldered toward the dugout. Who knows but that one crack of the bat will bring a grand slam, walk-off home run?

Dear Lord, we live in a pain filled, frustrating, and discouraging world. Help us to be steadfast because it ain’t over till it’s over. AMEN