David Bahn – Reflections

John 21:4-14
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

There has been some quite unique conjecture about the number of fish in the net that Peter brought ashore that early morning. The fact is that 153 is quite a unique humber. Wikipedia has an interesting article about 153: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/153_(number).

But let’s go beyond conjecture, and notice three things about this number.
1. It is exact. This is no estimate. For some reason God – through John – wanted us to know that number. This not a vague memory of something that might have happened. It was real.
2. It is a large number. 153 fish is a large haul. When compared against the empty net from the previous night’s catch, this is a big deal! And it came at just the time that Jesus told the erstwhile disciples now fishermen to let down their nets on the right side of the boat.
3. It is recorded for us. We are to be instructed, inspired, and edified by this number and reality.

So what is the issue here? What is God saying to us here? What are we to do with it? Three thoughts:
1. God really works in our world in real ways – ways that can be counted, and recorded. There is value in counting and recording the works of God. What has God done for you? How – specifically – has he worked in your life? Count it. Record it.
2. Don’t sell God short. He is able to do far more than all we can ask or imagine. He is at work in the world, at the end of the day, when we are most spent, ready to reveal a greatness, power, and provision beyond our own resources – because all things are his, all things come from him.
3. Look for the witnesses to God’s work in our lives, and the unique manner of his provision.

None of this is as jazzy as speculating on the symbolical nature of the number 153. But sometimes God does great, specific things that are recorded for us to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest. It is the real food of God’s word by which we are nourished for the every day activities of daily life.