In the Gospel of Mark, as Jesus is just beginning his ministry, we find him walking along the shore of the sea of Galilee. He comes across some fishermen, everyday kind of people, and he says to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Crazy as it sounds, these men, James and John, Simon Peter and Andrew, drop everything and they follow him. 

Now I love fishing, but on the surface, this whole idea of fishing for people sounds kind of scary, at best. Does Jesus want us to trick people, trap or net or hook people, try to get them in our little boat, and make them think like us? Actually, no.

It’s interesting when you look at the Hebrew scriptures, our Old Testament, a lot of the images of hooks and nets and fishing are images of judgment. People are trapped and caught in their own way of bad living. However, Jesus turns this around. People caught in his fishing activity are actually loved and not judged – they are healed and saved and not destroyed.

Jesus calls us to fish for people: to love people, to show mercy to people, to help heal them and forgive them. When we answer his call, we help spread a wider net of God’s love. May you find a way to answer his call and fish for people Jesus’s way, today.

Let us pray: Gracious God, Your calling on our life is deep. We know that in following you, we find life in abundance. Help us today to answer your call once again. Help us to intentionally show your love, your forgiveness, your mercy, and grace. May we be instruments of your saving love. As you work through us, may you also work in us. We ask in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Many years ago, in a past church I served, a couple showed up one morning who I had never met. They stayed to talk to me after worship, and I could tell they were not in a good state of mind. They were clearly anguished, and it looked as though they hadn’t slept in days. They asked me if I would come by to visit them that afternoon, and I did. 

When I sat down in their living room, they told me their son had been killed in a motorcycle accident four days earlier. And they were just feeling this tremendous anger at God…And then, this tremendous guilt at feeling that anger. This caldron of feelings. And they said I know we’re not supposed to be angry at God… 

I said, God’s big enough to handle it.  

If you’ve ever been angry with God or questioned God, actually you are in good company. We read about it in the Bible. We see it in the prophet Jeremiah. We see it throughout the Psalms. And, on the cross, Jesus prayed from Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).

Which is interesting… Have you ever been to a church where it is not okay?

Before becoming a pastor I remember being at a church where I was made to feel I was in danger of the fires of hell, simply because I had serious questions in a Sunday morning class. The implication was, if I would just get my relationship with Jesus right, I wouldn’t have those questions. That goes along with the sister belief that if you just get your relationship with Jesus right, you’ll always be happy.

It’s just not true.

In fact, on the other side of this, many great theologians claim that this kind of struggle, struggle with doubt, with a sense of absence of God, or anger at God, this kind of struggle can very well be a sign of authentic growth, and a point of decisive development in faith… And if we take it seriously, we don’t return to where we once were. We don’t return with a naive understanding. No, we deepen

My prayer for you today is that you would come to a place where you feel open enough to express your lament, your doubt, your questions, and even your anger to God. May you trust that this kind of faith is a biblical faith. God is big enough to handle it. And in doing so, may you find your relationship with God deepen and grace resound. 

Let us pray: Loving God, we don’t understand why there are pain and suffering in the world. We’re human, flesh and blood. We cry out to you. We long for you. And we trust you. Heal us and redeem us we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Today’s message was written by my friend, Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

There is only one thing more costly than caring and that is not caring. It must break God’s heart when we are calloused, unfeeling, selfish, and uncaring. How do you treat other people? In the parable of the Good Samaritan, found in the 10th chapter in the gospel of Luke, the Samaritan is called good because he cared enough to do something good for someone in need. I have a physician friend who advises his patients to treat every person they meet each day, as if he or she were the most important person in the world. I like that! But, friend of Dial Hope, the Christian faith takes it a step further, a giant step further. We are urged to relate to every single person we meet as if that person were Christ in disguise. Wow! Try that for one day; it will change your life forever. 

Let us pray: The world must have begun in silence, so God then moved to a crescendo of joyful music with a heavenly symphony crashing in rhythmic applause. Let there be light where there is shadow and joy where there is pain or depression. The blooming flowers, the gentle breezes remind us of hope for the renewing of our lives. Help us to think kindly of one another, to speak gently, to be creative listeners, and to behave with compassion. Transform our hum-drum lives into TA-DA! moments fueled by perpetual gratitude. Keep us laughing and caring because they are neglected on our agenda. Through the amazing grace of Jesus. Amen. 

One of the most powerful small group meetings I’ve ever attended was one in which we shared about how we each came to faith. As people spoke, you could feel the emotion in the room. Some folks had really dramatic turning points in their lives. Others had been in the church all their lives. But everyone had a story. And as people told their stories there were tears and laughter. I could sense God’s presence.  

I’ll never forget one of my friends telling me about how he had grown up as a believer – but walked away from his faith in high school. One night he was at a party and on the way home he had a terrible car wreck. He said, when he woke up, the car was upside down, and the only thing he could feel was God holding him tight.

Another couple shared how it was only by the grace of God their marriage was saved. Others spoke about God meeting them through difficult times of divorce or illness. I found myself thinking, there is so much hope rooted in these stories. And, there were so many points of connection, where people could relate with each other on a much deeper level. It also struck me that our stories not only provide hope for others – they are also a powerful reminder of the bigger picture in our own lives – a reminder of who’s really in charge.

Today, I invite you to remember your own story. Reflect on this sentence and try to finish it. God, you were with me, even when… God, you were with me even when…

Let us pray: Remind us again of your saving grace. Open our eyes to see your hand at work in our lives and then open our lips so that our voices may sing your praise. Amen.

Henry Van Dyke once wrote: Time is too slow for those who wait… too swift for those who fear… too long for those who grieve… too short for those who rejoice… But for those who love time is eternity.

Jesus often taught his disciples to be prepared; to be awake and expectant. It’s as if Jesus were reminding us that we stand on the edge of eternity. How we live now and how we love right now is significant.

We all have choices to make about what we’re going to do with the gift of the time we are given; We all have to decide what gets priority in our lives. What kind of people do we want to ultimately become? 

But, we don’t have forever, do we?

My friend, Roger Kunkel, used to love to tell the story about a time he went to buy a tree at a nursery up in Wisconsin. There was a sign that read: the best time to buy a tree was twenty years ago. And he thought: Thanks a lot! But there was a second sign that read: The second best time to plant a tree is today. Today! Today! Right now. 

Are there actions that you need to take care of today? Are there people you need to reach out to today? Are there things that you need to set right today? 

May you and I make the most of every second of every day; may we live in such a way that prepares us to see and experience God in the world and to share in his healing, redeeming work.

Let us pray: Gracious God, help us indeed to make the most of the time we have been given. As we do, may we find deeper meaning, peace, and hope. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.