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When our girls were little, there was a time when our DVD of the movie "Finding Nemo" seemed to be on a permanent loop in the den. As a result, certain aspects of that film were seared into my brain. One of my favorites is a line spoken by the absent-minded and big-hearted fish Dory. Marlin is despairing because his efforts to find and save his son Nemo have been fruitless. Seeing that her new friend needs some encouragement, Dory offers some hopeful optimism. "When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming."
This Sunday, Anna Grace's sermon will focus on a story from the fifth chapter of Luke. The disciples, who have been fishing through the night, have caught nothing. They had gone to all of their favorite spots and thrown their nets all over the lake, but not a single fish had been brought into the boat. As the sun came up and the discouraged fishermen rowed to shore, Jesus hopped into Simon Peter's boat. He asked them to row out a bit so he could do some morning teaching to people on the beach, then he turned to Peter and suggested that they take the boat back out into deep water and cast the nets out one more time. Peter, tired and grumpy, objected. "We have worked all night," he said. "We've tried but nothing is working." Even so, Peter reluctantly complied. And when they hauled the net in, it was so full of fish that it nearly broke.
The story reminds us that faithful service can be hard. Showing up day in and day out to do the work God has given us to do can be tiring, especially when the fruits of our labor are not immediately obvious. When Jesus saw that his disciples, many of whom were professional fishermen, were deeply discouraged by the results of their efforts, the lesson he gave them was simple: "Just keep fishing." He did not want them to worry that they could not see results right away. He wanted them to know that, if they faithfully followed God's call, good results would follow in good time.
The same is true for us. As long as our work helps other people or makes the world a more loving and beautiful place, then Christ -- the One who is always in the boat with us -- will bless our good work and make it fruitful.
So, as the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, "let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith." (Galatians 6:9-10).
In other words, if life has gotten you down... if you are discouraged or growing weary in the work you have been called to do... then Christ's message to you is clear. "Do not be afraid... just keep fishing."
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
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