At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was.
John 21:4 (NLT)
In John 21:4, the day began early as Jesus was standing along the seashore preparing to help His disciples and they didn’t even know who He was. Jesus had come to help seven poor men fishing whose nets were empty. His appearance to the Disciples was different from other times as this appearance occurred in Galilee and the other appearances had occurred in or near Jerusalem and closer to the time of His resurrection. This time was much later, maybe to establish the reality of the resurrection.
Through this story we learn that Jesus cares about each of us, all of our interests, no matter how small or large the situation is before us. Anything that is big enough to occupy our thoughts and our efforts is taken into account by Jesus. The risen Lord is interested in our poor fishing trips and all of our disappointments. He gives us the promise of guidance and direction if we will come to Him and acknowledge our dependence upon Him. He continues to wait on us to take the next step.
If we wait upon Him and do as He commands, “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find,” we will find abundance of blessings just as the fishing story portrays. When His command is followed by unwavering obedience the Master will bestow blessings upon blessings in our lives.
Jesus uses the seashore as a backdrop to reveal His love to humanity in several Bible stories. Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee when He called two fishermen, Peter and Andrew, to be His disciples, making them fishers of men. In Matthew 8:24–27, Jesus was on the boat asleep when the disciples became afraid and woke him. A storm was threatening to sink the boat, but Jesus calmed the wind and the waves, unleashing His power on the sea. Jesus didn’t stop there . . . He walked on the water. And in John 21:4 as we have said, He stood on the beach at dawn, but the disciples did not recognize Him. They had been out all night, fishing without a single catch. He told them to cast their nets to the right side of the boat, and their nets became full. There is no denying miracles happened on the seashore.
Sometimes we may not see the results of our labors as quickly as we would want. We may have to face the crushing waves and the turbulent waters that beat upon the shore and those things that toss us to and fro in our lives. Know that Jesus is always watching from the shore and is interested in all our weary efforts. He will guide us when we own up to our own weaknesses and we will be given more strength than we ever imagined.
Just as Easter morning reminds us to lift our eyes to the risen Lord who has not left us to serve alone. He comes to us and covers us in all our days of battle. As we all face the tossing seas in our lives, Jesus is standing on the quiet shore waiting for our communion with Him. His heart is with us and our part is to give our heart to Him. Jesus will pass His strength, grace and blessing to each of us when we do our part in surrendering to Him.
His majesty is displayed in the splendor of the sunrise as the rays paint the sky with beautiful shades of color. The roar of the waves proclaims His might. You can smell the salt in the air, you can feel the soft sand beneath our feet, and the cool mist refreshes us all. His love for us is deeper than the ocean. Come and meet Him on the shore. He has much to offer you and He is waiting for YOU!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, we come to You waiting for the miracle You will do in our lives. When we can’t see you, help us to know you are right here with us watching over us and enfolding us in your care. Your presence is the guiding light for our lives. In Christ’s Name we pray, Amen.
My love and prayers,
Ann
