You should have seen the one that got away...

It was 2am on Saturday morning, and I sat huddled under a giant umbrella on Dungeness beach. I’d been awake for 20 hours, the flask of coffee was empty, and I was freezing. Still, I watched the tip of my fishing rod in anticipation of that tell-tale sign that I’d caught something. It didn’t come.
It was a pretty awful trip, and that might be how some of Jesus’ disciples felt early on in the account we read of their fishing in John 21:1-14.



They’d travelled to Galilee in the hope of once again seeing Jesus, who’d conquered sin and death, and had risen from the grave. It wasn’t a whim – Jesus told they would see him again in Galilee, but they didn’t know exactly when or where. It was probably a tough four-day journey for them and they had no idea what to do when they got there, but they travelled full of hope and expectation. Well, most of them did…

Seven disciples had made the trip, but four didn’t. We don’t know why, but at some point they’d chosen to do something else instead. What happened to their excitement to meet again with Jesus? What was more important?  Would I have been with the seven who after a disappointing night had breakfast prepared for them by their Lord, or the four that missed out? 

The Bible tells us that we're waiting to meet the risen Jesus too, just like the disciples were. Is the excitement in our hearts like it was theirs? When Jesus returns will he find me waiting expectantly, or so wrapped up in other things that I’ve forgotten he’s coming back?

That’s not meant to be critical of the disciples’ decision to go fishing – they had to eat and make a living. However, on that night, they caught nothing. Perhaps they started to reminisce. After all, it wasn’t the first time they’d been on unsuccessful fishing trips.

On that last occasion, Jesus joined them and they caught more than their nets could cope with. They must have been overwhelmed with joy when it happened again here. In fact, we can see what it meant to Simon Peter, who, when the penny finally dropped that it was Jesus instructing them to fish on the other side of the boat, leapt into the lake and swam to shore to meet him.

As the others arrive the scene is set for breakfast and they ate together.  Jesus cooks them breakfast. He provided for their eternal futures through his life, death and resurrection, and now provides their morning meal.
 
Jesus was exalted to the highest place, but didn’t become distant and unapproachable. He came to meet his disciples, dispel their doubts, and was with them through the day-to-day ordinariness of breakfast so that they could be sure that he was with them. He does that for us too.

So it wasn’t such a blow-out of a fishing trip after all (for the disciples that is, mine was still rubbish). They met Jesus, and it was worth every bit of the effort it took to get there. That’s an opportunity that’s extended to us too – make sure you don’t miss out.