Dear Reader:
Easter is here! Hallelujah! Christ is risen!
This is the day that we can all fall back on for reassurance when we are caught up in the “coils” of life. On those days when everything seems lost and nothing is going right…we know Christ has risen and our lives have been changed forever. Nothing can ever take that from us!
We are never alone with our problems and we all have Christ to turn to in times of troubled waters. Jesus, while alive, knew a lot about troubled waters and most of his disciples understood the life of a fisherman….four of them being specifically cited as living this trade.
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples
18 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.19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. (Matthew 4: 18-22)
When I came across an anecdote called “Easter and the Fisherman” I thought to myself that Jesus would love to hear this story around a campfire…dedicated to Him in His Presence because the theme of the story is what Jesus tried to show His disciples throughout their time together. And after all, Jesus was a wonderful storyteller and he also loved listening to stories.
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus wasn’t interested in fishing for fish…He was interested in teaching people about His Father and what they needed to do to be with their Creator forever… bound to His love. He then wanted all of us to do the same thing as He and his disciples…to make believers out of sinners like ourselves.
“The Easter Fisherman”
A man went to the edge of the waters at Grayson Lake and cast out his line. After a little while, another man came along and started fishing beside of him. The first man reeled in a large bass, then he took out the hook, and turned the fish loose. The second man said, “I can’t believe what you did, that was the largest bass I’ve ever seen.” The first man said, “I’m not fishing for bass, but if I reel in anymore bass, you can have them.”
About a minute later the first man reeled in a large catfish. He took the hook out and turned the fish loose. The second man came up to him and said “You’ve done it again?” The first man said,” I’m not fishing for catfish, if I reel in another one you can have it.” The second man said, “Do you mind telling me what you are using for bait?” The first man said, “Easter.” The second said, “Easter, do you mean Easter eggs or Easter candy or something?” The first man said “No, Easter.” Then he reeled in a carp.
The second man didn’t like carp, so he said nothing when the first man turned it loose. He watched as the first man cast out an empty hook. The second man said,” Hey! You forgot the bait, you can’t catch anything without baiting the hook.” The first man said,” Yes I know.” The first man said, “Do you know about Easter?”
The second man said, “I know all about Easter eggs, Easter baskets, and the Easter Bunny, everybody know’s that stuff.” The first man explained that Easter was not about eggs or baskets or even a cute little bunny rabbit. “Easter is about Christ rising on the 3rd day after dying on the cross for your sins and mine.”
He pulled out his pocket Bible and read to the second man from Luke… Chapter 23 and 24. He witnessed to the man and told him about Christ and how to be saved. The second man turned his life over to Christ. The first man said, “Now you know what to fish for.”
………………….
So until tomorrow… Because Christ died on the cross for our sins, we, too, know what to fish for…don’t we?
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
The Turners took the children to ride Tweetsie in Blowing Rock! They enjoyed all the rides but then Eva ↖Cate got a speck of coal in her eye from the train ride and had to go to the first aid station to get it washed out! (She loves telling everyone her exciting story!)
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
Happy Easter to you Becky. .. and to all your family n friends… Have a blast!!!
Thank you Ambika and I hope Easter is very special and fun today for your family!
Happy Easter to you, too, Becky!
The Turners were “right around the corner” from us!! Too bad you weren’t with them; then we could have met someplace, or y’all could have come here for a visit!! Beautiful Easter day in the NC Blue Ridge Mountains!
Every time I hear you talk about Gloria Houston and Ruthie and about them going down to meet the Tweetsie, I think of the little “Tweetsie” that Bobby “made” and put on tracks. (He’s “into” trains.) I’ll take a pic of it some day and send it to you. And, actually, the little hill/crest out our back deck was right where Tweetsie used to come, ‘way long time ago! There’s still a part of the cargo or loading dock in the backyard a few houses down. Lots and lots of history in this place, that’s for sure!
I hope your Easter day was as beautiful a day as it was up here! God bless you for all the stories you continue to tell to anyone who wants to read them!!
Much love,
Sis
Love this story ….and the fact that when Christ appeared after his resurrection to the disciples he told them I bring you peace…go and tell others…we are so blessed.
On Apr 16, 2017 6:10 AM, “Chapel of Hope Stories” wrote:
Becky Dingle posted: ” Dear Reader: Easter is here! Hallelujah! Christ is risen! This is the day that we can all fall back on for reassurance when we are caught up in the “coils” of life. On those days when everything seems lost and nothing is going right…we know Christ h”
Yes….so blessed!
Thanks for that Becky. We also enjoyed your grandson during service. So cute.
Jakie is a mess- I call him “No No” since he is two and everything out of his mouth is No!” Have had you and Bob in my prayers – want him to walk again without pain!