Go overboard for the Lord!

“Peter…headed to shore.” John 21:7 NLT

“At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, ‘Fellows, have you caught any fish?’ ‘No,’ they replied. Then he said, ‘Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!’ So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It’s the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he…jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat” (vv. 4-8 NLT). Peter had to decide whether to leave his fish and go to Jesus or stay behind and enjoy what he had worked hard for. It’s a test we all face when we have accomplished our life’s objectives, when our nets are full and we have finally “made it.” Your challenge is, “Do I stay and guard my blessings or go overboard for the Lord and commit myself fully to Him?” Paul refers briefly to his career’s success: “You know my pedigree…from the elite tribe of Benjamin…defender of…my religion…meticulous observer of…God’s law” (Philippians 3:4-6 MSG). But listen to him now: “Things I…thought were so important are gone…dumped…in the trash so that I could embrace Christ” (vv. 7-8 MSG). Paul realized his true identity lay not in his accomplishments but in his relationship with Jesus. Do you feel that way too? That night Peter may have felt like he was forfeiting everything, yet when he reached the shore, he found Jesus busy—cooking fish! The point is, whatever you need, God has it. Whatever you give up, He will repay many times over.

Bible in a year: Jeremiah 34-36 and 2 Timothy 3