Go. Fish.

Though I haven't been for some time, I love fishing. Whether on a boat, or standing on a shore, there's
something about being on the water, casting a line, and (hopefully) reeling in a catch. Of course, I'm one of those who fish for leisure. When Jesus called His disciples, however, he chose from among men who caught fish to survive.

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:18-20)

A couple things about fishing. First, when you're fishing the way Peter and Andrew were fishing, it's not a leisurely kind of thing. It's not a simple matter of dropping a line and waiting for your bobber to disappear. It's hard work, and it's work done with a sense of urgency. For Peter and Andrew, if you didn't catch fish, you didn't feed your family. 

So, Jesus wasn't inviting these men -- nor James and John, the fishermen He called next -- on a vacation. He was inviting them to work. But a work of more eternal importance than mere food. Jesus would later tell these men, and the rest of His disciples -- indeed, each of us who call ourselves by His name -- go into the world and make more disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). We were, like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, called to catch Men in Jesus' name. And this calling isn't to simply drop a line and see who bites, but to drop a net and actively pursue.

It's important, too, to understand that occupation was and is a part of identity. These men weren't just a couple of guys. These were fishermen. That's how they were known. Jesus was, in changing what they did, redefining who they were. This is just as true today. If we are Christians, the discipling of others isn't merely one of the things we do -- it's a part of who we are.

The second thing about fishing is that it requires movement. Whether for food or fun, if you actually intend to catch fish, the first rule is, go where the fish are. We can't catch men by sitting in a church pew and waiting. We need to see where the fish are gathering, and then cast our nets wide. 

Now we could stretch this metaphor until it breaks, discussing bait, methods... even the depths of the water. But what's important to Christ is that we go. And fish.

With You In Spirit*

"I am with you always." Jesus told his disciples as much right after He told them to go into the world and disciple all the nations. And more or less right before He was taken into Heaven. So,  obviously, He was speaking in spiritual terms.

Of course, like anything, repetition  and lack of context can often make us lose the meaning -- and import -- of what is said. I wonder how many times I've told somebody, "I'll be with you in spirit." So, while my friends are doing whatever (usually unpleasant) task for which I found a reason to be absent, I'd be, what, thinking about them? Maybe. Actually, it's doubtful even that is the case, really. But we say it so often, don't we?

But what Jesus was saying is so much more meaningful. When He said,  "I am with you always," yes, sure, he meant I'm with you in Spirit. Except that, for Jesus, it isn't figurative. For Jesus to be with us in spirit, means He is literally with us. In fact, being In the Spirit means He is with us more completely than we can ever be with somebody even in the same room.

So, if that's the case -- that Jesus is with us literally at all times, praying without ceasing doesn't seem quite so daunting,  does it? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Prayer is something more than this uniform, spoken letter to God, beginning with "Dear Jesus," and closing with "Amen." Prayer is a constant conversation with an ever-present Lord.

When is the last time you spoke to Jesus as though He were in the same room with you? Considering He told us He actually is, it might be worth trying.


*Today's devotional was inspired by a recent "episode" of Radio Free Babylon's "Coffee with Jesus" comic strip.