Casting Prayer Nets and What If?

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. John 21:4-7

This summer I undertook a very rewarding odyssey. I agreed to pray for a particular person or family each day for the three summer months. When I received the 90+ names it seemed a long journey, but it wasn’t. There on the list were those whom I knew and others I did not know, but it made no difference in my prayers. I kept remembering those beautiful lines from Tennyson’s Morte D’Arthur: “And thou, if thou shouls’t never see my face again, pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”

Now you ask, “What does this have to do with the scripture?” Let me draw a picture of those disciples who were fishing as I see them. They were experienced fishermen. Their livelihood depended on knowing where and when to fish and they had labored all night in deep water, casting out their heavy nets again and again and yet they caught nothing. Weary and empty-handed they approached the shore. A disciple “whom Jesus loved” recognized His presence. When Jesus told them to cast their nets again, miracles happened.

Now let me come to the “what ifs”. What if every person in the world who professes the name of Christ would recognize his presence and pray for our world? What might happen? Maybe that “what if” is too big. What if every member of our church family would pray for our church to feel His presence and do God’s work. What might happen? Of course, I do not have the answer, but I do believe with Tennyson that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Wouldn’t it be exciting to try and see what harvest we could bring up in our nets?

Prayer: Dear Father, help us have the vision that comes from knowing Christ is our center and to truly believe when we pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” In Christ’s name we humbly pray. Amen.

Dot French (reprinted from 2008)