At Hand

The slight breeze from the lake had a pleasant cooling effect as it wafted by.  The sound of the waves slapping the sandy shore as they arrived at regular intervals added to the peace residing in the man who was making his way along the beach.  Boats could be seen in the distance.

The setting of the man’s stroll was not his focus, although it could easily have been.  It was a beautiful day filled with the pleasurable sights, sounds and smells of the place where water and land made their transition from one to another.  His thoughts were, however, on another transition.

The beach was an inspiring place for his meditations to be cultivated as he moved casually along the water’s edge.  But he was on the edge of something else... and he knew it.  He had told the crowd he had just talked to that a change was coming and they should prepare for it.  The spirit of the man was contemplating and anticipating that change.  The boats were closer.

The walk on the sandy shore seemed right.  Excitement was welling up in him as moved along the shore line and… in his thoughts.  It felt good to know he was where he was supposed to be both in the physical and in the spiritual settings of the day… and soon the two would rendezvous.

Preparation had been made for this saunter down the Galilean beach and shortly a revelation of its purpose would come.  Men on the boat were casting their net… for they were fishers.  He saw the men.  He saw their net.  Thoughts came.  These fishermen were brothers… Simon and Andrew.  Their nets caught fish.  The design of the Kingdom was present.

Jesus spoke… “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”.  He knew it was good… the walk, his thoughts, the nets and the men… “And God saw the (sight) and it was good.”  Kingdom principles were in place… brothers working together with nets catching fish.  The joining of many parts to make an effective means of gathering the prize.  Nets… not poles… nets.  Tied with knots and lengths of twine.  A single tool made of many individual pieces working together.  Three men continued a stroll down a transition path.  Another boat ahead… tied to a dock.

Three men walking and three men working near the boat.  James and John with their father Zebedee.  Brothers working together… they were mending their net.  Brothers making sure the net they would fish with was in good repair… Kingdom principles were in place.  Two brothers and two brothers becoming a net made up of themselves.  A net to catch fish with.  Fish with souls… souls that must be caught for the Kingdom of God.