Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.” (John 21:4)
The disciples worked hard, yet they did not catch a single fish.
No doubt they thought back to earlier moments on that same lake. It was there that Jesus calmed a raging storm simply by speaking to the waves. On another occasion, He came to His disciples in the middle of the night, walking on the water. In these ways He revealed something of His divine power.
And then there was the moment when He called them to become “fishers of men.” On that occasion too, they had fished all night without catching anything. At Jesus’ command, they cast their nets one more time, even though it seemed pointless and they had already cleaned their equipment. And sure enough—they caught so many fish that their nets nearly tore apart.
These were precious memories from the time when Jesus was still physically with them. But now He was gone—or so it seemed. In reality, Jesus was still watching over them. The disciples could not see Him, but He was standing on the shore, fully aware of their situation and in control of everything that was taking place.
Today, Jesus is in heaven. Yet from there He continues to watch over His church. What difference does it make for you to know that Jesus remains in control, even when you cannot see Him?
Image by Lumo Project Films – www.lumoproject.com.