For some reason, I’ve had this saying in my head the past couple of days.  Probably because of the time of year.  Tomorrow is SUNDAY!  EASTER SUNDAY!  The day we celebrate the resurrection and ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Simon Peter and ALL of the Disciples “forsook Him and fled” when the chips were laid out on the table.  When things didn’t go as planned, they ran.  They assumed Jesus would set up His Kingdom then and there.  They assumed Jesus would make them rulers in His new Kingdom then and there.  They had a different agenda than Jesus did.  When things didn’t go as planned, they ran.  

Just as Jesus promised, He ROSE AGAIN!  However, to the disciples confusion, He still didn’t set up His Kingdom.  He still didn’t nominate them as rulers in His new Kingdom.  Confused and frustrated Simon Peter says “I go a fishing”.  You can read about it in John 21.  I love the King James Version of that phrase.  You can just hear the frustration in his voice.  He’s tired of not being the first to know what’s going on.  He’s tired of not being included in the plan of Christ.  He expected to be ruling by now.  Well, that apparently is not going to happen.  So he goes back to the only thing he knows … fishing.  He’s done living for Jesus.  He’s going back to his lifestyle before he found Christ.

He goes out fishing and unfortunately, he has no luck.  He is a skilled fisherman and he can’t catch a single fish.  All the human experience; all the human strength; all the human knowledge; and yet, nothing helps him in this moment to catch fish.

Jesus shows up while they are fishing.  A very familiar scene to Peter begins to unfold.  He has a “deja vu” moment.  Jesus tells them to fish on the other side.  This time, instead of arguing with Jesus, Peter does what Jesus says.  You know the result.  The nets become full, overflowing and begin to break.  Peter doesn’t waste anytime.  He jumps in the water and heads to the shore.  

There Jesus and Peter have a very intimate conversation about where Peter is in his walk.  Jesus shares with him that His love and compassion for Him are still real.  Peter sees himself as Jesus sees him.  Peter sees his plan isn’t important.  Peter sees all that matters is Christ.

It is so awesome to see how Peter is used of Christ throughout the Book of Acts.  Peter becomes all Christ wants him to be.  Peter is responsible for thousands upon thousands coming to know Christ as their Savior   Peter is responsible for a young man named Saul eventually becoming the one who leads thousands of Gentiles to Christ.  

All this happened because Peter finally realized that although he didn’t understand the plan of Christ; although the plan didn’t follow the same time frame he preferred; although the plan didn’t provide all the human glory he expected; God still used him in a powerful way to spread the Gospel.  I wonder if he knew that 2,000 yrs later we would still be using him as an example of how God can use a man to lead others to Christ.  He is an amazing example of a proud man who became a humble servant for Christ.

There are so many things in our life that frustrate us.  There are so many things in our life that don’t go as planned.  There are so many of us that get angry when we don’t get the honor, glory and recognition we feel deserve.  There are so many times that our plan doesn’t match God’s plan.  There are so many times we just want to “quit on God” and go back to living how we used to live before we found Christ.

Can I just encourage you that God has a plan?  Can I tell you that He will use you if you allow it? Can I tell you that you can be “successful” in the Christian life?  It just takes us recognizing that God is in control; that God has a plan; that God’s plan is all that matters; and that God’s direction is the only one I should follow.

He is Risen!

He is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

Happy Easter!