"Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build to the Lord your God, and do not erect a sacred stone, for these the Lord your God hates." Deut 16:21 - What is it that we do with this one life of ours? What set-ups have I placed before my God? What have I done with the kind of bewilderment Moses must have hinted at in his feet not touching promised ground. The beautiful point in all of Moses' last sermon is that he looked life square in the eye and looked right past Promised Lands into the eyes of God. He begged to enter his dream. He let it go. Not in just a second or passing thought. He let decades of dashed dreams disintegrate. Moses learned to trust in deepest of loss. May we live our dreams like Moses did. With open hands, open hearts.
Deut 14:1-2, Moses recants three distinguishing privileges:
ADOPTED AS HIS SON~
"You are the sons of the LORD, your God," because you need a father.
CALLED TO BE HOLY ~
"You are a people holy to the LORD, your God," because you are not.
CHOSEN BY GRACE ~
"The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His Treasured Possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth," not because of who you are, because of His Grace all over you.
"Our heavenly Father forbids nothing but for our welfare. Do thyself no harm; do not ruin thy health, thy reputation, thy domestic comforts, thy peace of mind. Especially do not murder thy soul." Matthew Henry.
Professional fishermen---yes they were.
They knew how to fish.
Grace ~ It fell from Him. Still falls on our hearts. So, put your nets out into deep water, says the Carpenter, not a Fisherman. Luke 5:4. It's a miracle.
These seasoned fishermen know how to fish. Only God could have pulled this one off. And grace falls in one of those daily moments where they spend hundreds of hours earning their way. We never know when a Divine Visit, Words of Grace, will fall on us at work.
So what's the insight here? Christ tells Peter to apply himself to this secular calling of his. Don't waste your work. Time spent there is never a hindrance, it's holy. When we have been with God, true joy will result in our work. "We must not abruptly quit our callings because we have not the success in them we desire." Own ourselves as sinful men, redeemed. Don't view your work as a vehicle to prepare for ministry. Work is your ministry.
PHOTO: Lake Travis. Spent almost 2 decades in Austin. Such an unusual time full of deep hurt and much joy. They live juxtapose to each other, you know.
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