When Self-Reliance Fails: God Empowered

In John 21 we can read the account of Jesus's encounter with His disciples after His death and resurrection; He came back prior to His ascension and we find Him visiting those grieving His loss. His disciples returned back to their status quo, and went to do what they knew best pre-Jesus. Their hobby of fishing was a way to get their minds off their distress that Christ left and with no clear direction as to what to do next.

Experienced fishermen had trouble fishing, all night they fished and caught nothing. Yet, when Jesus appears, and gives them some tips as to where to place their nets, immediately they are overtaken by fish; more fish than they can even bear.

What happened different that had not already been tried pre-Jesus’s appearance?

In Deuteronomy 1, the rebellion of the Israelites is recounted by Moses, and he reminds them that their wilderness journey was exacerbated because they would not humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. Their journey across the wilderness, from Horeb to Kadesh-Barnea SHOULD have been 11 days, but because of their disbelief and rebellion, God’s punishment was to leave them for a lifetime in the wilderness and not allowing them into the promise land.

How disappointing! To be promised a future, but it is beyond the realm of belief. God would not allow them into this new land, yet they were determined to go anyways. They were insistent on making their own way and success into the new land without the presence and power of God.

Friends, this is a dangerous and burdensome spiritual, mental and emotional place to be; without the power of Christ in our lives.

Where is He asking or inviting us to cast our nets? Where is He wanting to fill in the gap?

Our power is in Him going before us, securing around and covering from behind. Self-sufficiency, in the realm of our relationship with God, is a paradox.

Surrender and humility is when we unlock God’s empowerment.