Miracle Catch! (John 21)

Jesus gave the disciples a 'miracle catch' of 153 fish. You can read about it in John chapter 21. But interestingly, just as the miracle was happening, Peter stepped away from it. He stepped out of the boat and into the water, and went directly to Jesus who was on the shore. (vs.7) The real 'miracle catch' in this event was not the fish, but Peter the man.

You see, Peter had denied Jesus, and left him to die alone. (John 18) In a sense, Peter - like you and me - had turned his back on God, on what he knew to be true, and he went the way of fear and 'self' rather than the way of the Lord. So at this moment when Jesus appeared on the shore while they were fishing, Peter was in a dark place, a place of separation from Christ, a place he deeply regretted and felt ashamed of. Can you relate?

So when Jesus appeared - and lavished on Peter a 'miracle catch' of fish, of provision - Peter realized that the way was open to him again to be with Christ, to be right with God, to be forgiven and restored. When Peter saw this way open before him, he stepped away from the blessing of the catch, and went directly to the Lord.

Jesus came - God in the flesh (John 1:14) - to connect personally with each and every person. One name given to Jesus was 'Emanuel', which means, 'God with us' (Matthew 1:23) - and to be with us is the primary purpose of Christ. Jesus will bless all of us at times with miracle provision, or miracle healing or protection, but his ultimate goal is that his blessings given to us, lead us to him personally - to simply be with him.

Have you actually ever turned to face Christ? Or have you only enjoyed his light on your back, or on your path? (John 5:35) Jesus calls each of us to repent of our sin (practically and sincerely turn away from our sin), and to firmly place our faith in him. 

For more on taking that first, powerful step with Jesus Christ, please visit this page on my site:

https://1peter1three.weebly.com/first-steps.html
 

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