Jesus In Your Boat

Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.”  So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.  He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”  “No,” they answered.  He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”  When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

– Acts 21:2-6

Today, are you like Peter and the other disciples toiling for a blessing, but to no avail?  You have the means to get the blessing (just like Peter with his boat and nets), but you keep striving for that blessing to come and you have not received it yet!  And just like Peter and the other disciples, you have put in so much effort, but have caught Absolutely nothing!  All of this striving for nothing has brought you to the end of your rope!  You just don’t know what to do…  Should you just hand in the towel and give up?  Peter and the other disciples fished all night and could not catch one fish!  In the early morning, Jesus stood on the shore and called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” and they responded, “No.”  Then Jesus said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”  They listened to Jesus and threw the net on the right side of the boat and when they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish they had caught!  So what can we take away from this important passage of scripture?  Simply, that we can do nothing without Jesus!  The only way to catch the boatful of fish is to listen to what Jesus says to do!  Are you listening to Jesus today?  Are you inviting Jesus into your boat?  Because if Jesus is not in it, then he is not for it, and he will not bless it!  If we are doing things for our own personal gain, but they have nothing to do with Jesus and we are not listening to what he desires for us to do for him, then we will not be blessed!  You see, the difference in this passage of scripture is Jesus!  And where Jesus is, that is where we are blessed!  Is Jesus in your boat today?  Have you invited him in?  It might not be time to hand in the towel just yet… Take the time to consult the Lord and ask him what he wants you to do for him!  The Lord will turn your heart to where you need to be…  Maybe all you need to do is invite him into whatever you enjoy doing and he will bless it!