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BREAKFAST ON THE BEACH
Come and Dine
The air had taken on the distinct smell of Springtime
and there were buds on the water plants. Things, that
had hidden themselves under the water during the
colder weather, were pushing their way to the top.
Called away from our nets once, here we were again,
because we simply didn??™t know what else to do.
Although it was a requirement of fishermen, waiting
had never been our best virtue.
The eight of us figured we could bring in a pretty
good catch, especially with the moon so full. But, we
labored, tossed, and dragged nets all night; to no
avail. We didn??™t talk much. All of us were lost in
our own thoughts, hoping some fog would lift or
someone??™s mind would suddenly receive a revelation of
what to do, where to go. Too much was not understood
~ and too much was just unbelievable. So, I did
understand well, when Peter said, "I??™m going
fishing!" It was the most natural and normal thing to
do. We had done it since we were boys.
The night was rather warm and the work felt better
with our shirts off. We tossed them in the center of
the boat, to keep them from getting so wet. Off and
on, through the long, silvery, night, we thought we
felt the familiar tug of fish bodies hitting the net.
But, when the heavy wet net came in, there was
nothing.
Just before dawn, it seemed extra cool and the morning
star was so bright, it made us all think of the
Master. To think we had walked and talked with the
One who set the courses of those stars and spoke them
into being, and never even realized it! It made us
all feel so dull witted and dense. Revelation hadn??™t
come easy to any of us and we surely didn??™t feel like
chiding Thomas for not wanting to be duped into
falling for some superstitious fabrication of
someone??™s imagination. Every time I looked at Peter,
all night long, a twinge of sympathy filled my heart.
After all, Peter was himself - impetuous and quick
witted. All of us had deserted, not just Peter.
The Master understood that, too, or He would not have
been so implicit in His instruction to Mary, singling
Peter out by name, making sure he understood that he
was included in the meeting in Galilee. We all
understood, Peter would be hardest of all on himself.
But, we eight were quite willing to follow him to the
boat and we held nothing against him because we would,
evidently, be coming in empty handed this morning.
Each man toiled and strained through the night. But,
the hardest work of all was probably going on in our
minds. The memories seemed to take on new
significance with every hour that passed. The storm
He stilled on this very water! With only His words!
This water had held up His feet - and Peter??™s, also!
This water had carried His voice to those waiting on
the beach, also landed us next to the wildest man I
had ever seen. Within minutes, the man was delivered
and in his right mind. Two thousand demonized pigs
lay dead in the water.
Here, we had watched many sunsets and sunrises. Our
Master had slept in a boaton, in this sea. There was
comfort here.
How many times had He told us Who He was? I couldn??™t
count. But, at least, He knew we just didn??™t
understand. Probably, those first shepherds
understood better than we ~ who watched Him heal and
teach, and find such different answers to problems
that were presented to Him.
Counselor, Prince of Peace, Bright and Morning Star
... yes, it was bright this early morning. What would
happen now? We still didn??™t know. One thing was very
plain to see: we were very ordinary men. None of us
had outstanding faith. How effective could we be?
As
the morning sun began to rise, the colors in the sky
beckoned our eyes. It had been too long since we
fished all night. If the nets were empty, at least
the sky was full of such color! I turned to look at
the others. All eyes were diverted to the beautiful
display of color. I followed the rays on the waves as
we neared the shore. That??™s when I saw Him. Someone
was on the beach. The frothy waves carried the
beautiful color right up on the sand. His form was
barely visible. But, for me, there was such
familiarity in His voice.
He
called out, "Boys, do you have any meat?"
Someone answered, "Nothing."
"Throw the net on the right side of the boat!" He
shouted. I had a strange feeling.
No
one argued at all. The net was thrown and, in an
instant, it was full! We couldn??™t pull it in fast for
fear of it breaking ... and I knew! I turned to
Peter, "It??™s the Lord!"
I
may have outrun Peter, that other early morning, to
the empty tomb. But, I don??™t know how Peter got his
coat so fast. He was overboard in a flash and up on
the beach in a minute. There was loud laughing,
praising, - we could hear well across the water.
We
had a hundred fifty-three great fish! It should have
broken the net, but not a thread was free.
The Master had no need of our fish. For, there were
already fish on His fire, along with the bread. But,
of course, He said, "Bring some of those over here to
the fire. Come ... and dine!"
The warming air, the fire, those precious scarred
hands breaking bread for us, reminding us of that last
supper together ... this glorious morning could never
be forgotten!
What a feast we had! Oh, the companionship! The
love! No other love on earth was like this love.
I
was so thankful Thomas was among us to feel it. It
was like a living thing. It WAS a living thing!
We
satisfied our hunger and just basked in the morning
sunlight. I understood contentment in a new and
deeper way.
For the third time now, since the empty tomb, we
enjoyed Him. We hoped it was forever. We watched
Him, intently, and we listened. Would He stay, now?
Would He be gone in a moment? He did that in the room
at Jerusalem and, again, in Galilee; with the doors barred. He vanished as soon as they recognized Him at
Emaus.
The warm sun was so welcome on our tired shoulders
and, though we had toiled all night, no one was
inclined to lie down. Indeed, the air seemed charged
with expectancy.
"Peter," Jesus addressed him, seriously. "Do you love
me?" I knew Peter was remembering some hard times for
him. A rooster crowing. A moment when he had offered
heaven-sent revelation, "Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the Living God!" Jesus had praised him, then, for
accepting the truth of God and only moments later had
to reprimand him because he, like all of us, couldn??™t
understand, yet, the great gift that was to be given
to mankind when the cross had done it??™s work.
"Peter, do you love Me?"
"Lord, You know - I love You."
"Feed My lambs." I thought of the day He explained to
us about the Good Shepherd. I thought of David??™s
Psalm.
"Peter, do you love Me?"
Peter answered, again, with a little more force,
"Lord, yes, You know I love You."
"Feed My sheep." I thought of new babes in Christ and
those who had been with us awhile, who would need
mentoring.
Then, the third time Jesus asked, "Peter ... do you
really love me?"
Peter seemed saddened but still he answered, "My Lord,
You know everything. You also know my heart and You
know I do love You."
"Feed My sheep."
Peter was quiet, now.
"When you were young, you dressed and went where you
pleased. But, when you are old, someone else will
dress you and lead you where you don??™t want to go,"
Jesus said.
It was not said with any reprimand - just a fact.
Peter looked at me. "What about him?"
"What does it matter? Even if he lives until I
return, you feed my sheep."
How could we know that morning what was to happen?
The Kings, the Rulers, the vast peoples to whom we
would witness, the fire of the Holy Spirit filling us
to aid in speeches before magistrates and courts, the
deaths we would be willing to die to gain what He had
bought for us that day, the boldness we would find
available to say what needed to be said. We could not
understand, yet. But soon, we came to know: it
was for the whole of mankind; it was God??™s plan from
the beginning and we were not foolish to give all ...
in order to gain eternity with Him!
Come quickly, Lord
Jesus!
?©
2005 by Joan Clifton Costner
http://www.heavenlypoetry.com
http://underhiswings0.tripod.com |
