The Fisherman

I was cleaning through some Word doc. files today and came across this study that is still just as true today as I was back in June of 2013 when I wrote it.

One day I was at a women’s clothing store with my mom. As we came down the main aisle I saw an older gentleman all dress up to go fly fishing. Shorts, fishing vest, bucket hat. Yet instead of standing waist deep in the river with his big rubber pants he was halfheartedly looking into a jewelry case. Something about this scene deeply troubled me.
He was excited, all dressed up and ready to go. But he wasn’t anywhere near where he was supposed to be.
Sadly many Christians end up like this. They get excited to follow the Lord and give it all away, but before they reach the river, religion snags them and they end up at the department store.
Suddenly it’s not about knowing the Lord and His heart. It’s about trying to be that “perfect” Christian, saying all the “right” things so we look like we’ve got it all together. But all we’ve really got is a river full of fish with no one there to catch them.

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
Mark 1:17

When we fall into this trap of religion we are so afraid of being “found out” (for we all know that we aren’t that “perfect” Christian) that we become afraid to move. But look at what Jesus said

“Come ye after me, and I will make you to become” 

He didn’t say “Come after me, when you have become fishers of men.” No, no! He said, I WILL MAKE YOU TO BECOME!
You don’t have to have the Bible memorized from cover to cover, or have everything all together, just COME YE AFTER ME! Maybe you heard one verse and excepted Christ, then COME YE AFTER ME!
We are meant to use the Bible, not just know it. We are meant to live this life, not just desire it.
But we must first come. Abandon the image of perfection that we hold so tight to, and allow Him to touch us. Allow Him to make us to become.