Purpose

Burn the Nets

We’ve probably all heard the old tale of how monkeys are caught. Some glittering object is put into a trap and the monkey grabs it. The trap is made in such a way that all the monkey has to do is let go of the glittery possession and they can escape, but they don’t. They would rather hold on to the thing that will end up being the impetus for their demise.

I have no idea if this works in actuality. A quick Google search wasn’t definitive. However, the reason it has probably gained such traction is that we all struggle with letting go. We are prone to cling to things – whether it’s an old relationship, a favorite toy, or our high school yearbooks. We hold on to what we have, afraid that what we might get in return won’t be worth it.

Peter seems to have had this problem. He leaves the fishing business in order to follow Jesus (Mt. 4:18-22), but upon Jesus’ crucifixion he goes right back to the boats (Jn. 21:1-3). He had said he left everything to follow Him, but it was in word only. When things got tough he went back to what was known, what was comfortable. He went back to the past, because he was afraid of what the future would hold.

And to me, it seems the problem is that the nets were waiting for his return. He still hung on to his old life, even when he was living in the new. He hadn’t abandoned his old self; he had just set it aside for a bit.

What he needed to do was to burn the nets; to incinerate any trappings of his former life. To trust in the One that he declared  was the Messiah – resting in the assurance that just as he had taken care of Peter’s past, so He would the future.

Looking back, it’s easy for us to see this, because we know the end of the story. We know that Jesus would go to Peter, prepare a meal, and would mend the fences that were broken by Peter’s denial. Much in the same way we know that at the end of our lives everything we’ve let go of won’t compare to the glory that God’s prepared. But Peter didn’t have that perspective. He just knew that he was alone, and that he had abandoned the One who loved him the most. So his shame and confusion prompted him to return.

But he wouldn’t have had that option…if only he had burned the nets.

 

Please share your thoughts…how have you let go of the past in order to prepare for the future God has called you to?

Continue Reading

Growth

(Re)Memory Problems

Many years ago I was working out at my apartment when I got a call from a friend. “Where are you?” she asked. “At my apartment” I innocently answered. And in the pause that followed, suddenly it hit me – I was supposed to meet her for dinner! As we were meeting over an hour away, there was no way for me to redeem the gaffe and make it to our appointment.

It was one of the first, but certainly not the last time that I realized that my memory is not what it used to be. In the past, I could keep my appointments in my head and be on time, if not early, for all of them. Now, I find myself leaving post-it notes, electronic reminders, and voice-mail messages for myself if I want to remember things that I’m supposed to do. It could be that I have more things to remember – and I’m pretty sure that’s at least part of it –  but sometimes I long for the days when everything was stored in my internal memory bank, when I could readily access that things I was supposed to know.

However, I’m not the only one that’s prone to bouts of forgetfulness. Throughout Exodus and Deuteronomy we see that the people of Israel regularly forgot the things that God did for them and what He promised them.  We read passages like Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and we see the many blessings that God longs to pour out on them if they will walk in His ways. Yet, we know from history that it won’t be long before they are doing what they want rather than what God says. We may wonder how the Israelites could have ever gone astray after the clarity with which God spoke to them. The blessings of their right actions (i.e. obeying Him) and the consequences of their wrong actions (i.e. sin) were made abundantly clear. Over and over again, God commands them to “remember” – yet they didn’t. They didn’t remember what He had done or the words that He had said – at least not in any way that influenced their action. Because they forgot or neglected their relationship with God, His promises ceased to be as powerful for them. And so they were led astray.

I, too, can “forget” what God has done and the promises that He has made, and this often is the cause of my own sin. I neglect to remember that I will give an account – that there will be consequences for my actions. I forget the faithfulness of God, seize “control,”  and follow my own desires rather than His.

The solution of course is to remember – to remember what He has promised, and Who He is. I need to cling tightly to the promises of God, knowing that He “is not slow” “as some count slowness” – but that He will make good on what He’s promised (2 Peter 3:9).  I need to give thanks when I do remember, knowing that even this is an act of His grace.  I need to be assured that diligent obedience to Him will have a reward – either in this life or the next. And I need to remember that standing before Him, hearing “well done, my good and faithful servant” will be a moment I won’t forget.

 

 

Continue Reading