September 11
________________________________________WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE OLD LIFE
After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.– John 21:1-11
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The disciples must have been feeling so lost and without purpose after Jesus died. They probably didn’t know what to do after three years of giving up their old occupation and gave up everything to follow Jesus. Simon Peter’s old job was fishing, so he decided to go back to it and the others followed Peter. They fished and caught nothing that night. At daybreak, Jesus came and asked if they caught any. Of course, he knew very well that they didn’t. Going back to fishing was what most of the disciples did before Jesus called them to join Him. He turned them to be fishers of men, but right after He left them, they wanted to go back to their old lives. When Jesus told them to cast their nets on the right-hand side of the boat, they finally got the big catch without even tearing the nets. The big catch with Jesus’ instruction probably symbolized that without Jesus, they will not be able to get anything done. Jesus may not have wanted them to go back to their old lives since He has given them a new life in Him. Believers have a tendency to go back to their old lives when they feel that Jesus has left them or when they grieve.
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REFLECTION
• Why should believers not turn back to their old lives once they find Jesus?