“Fishers
of Men”
By Karen D’Amore
And Jesus
said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Mark 1:17 (NASB)
In recent years, running has become my
crucial source of quiet time with God. My greatest stress outlet…has become my
most vital “in-let” where God uses my unconventional “church-on-the-run” to
bring Scripture to life and reveal inspiring spiritual metaphors. With praise
music setting my pace, it also prepares my heart for those messages, and God
meets with me on those isolated country roads.
On a recent run, my worship music through
iHeart Christian radio was interrupted by a true story painting a vivid picture
of today’s key verse. The story was about a pastor in Houston who, in the wake
of hurricane Harvey, boated through flooded neighborhoods and assisted in the
rescues of trapped and stranded flood victims. In an interview with the local
media, the pastor shared how, during the course of his rescue efforts, he was literally
fishing people out of the floodwaters, utilizing a large fishing net to scoop
them into the boat. Hailed a hero for saving victims from life-threatening
conditions, he diverted the focus to how the experience had impacted and
changed his outlook on today’s familiar Scripture.
Mark 1:17 can best be summarized as
“The Call to Ministry.” This verse contains one command, “Follow Me”; one
promise, “I will make you”; and one lifelong process, “Become fishers of men.”
This metaphor illustrates our call, as Christ-followers, to catch souls and release
them to Jesus. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew
28:19a) As disciples we’re called to bring people into God’s kingdom. We’re to
serve as “life-savers” by catching and rescuing the “unsaved” world from the
drowning floodwaters of sin, and bringing them to an eternal-life-relationship
with Jesus.
As I visualized that Houston pastor fishing
frantic victims out of the rising floodwaters into the safety of his boat, I too
was drawn to see the call to be “fishers of men” in a new light. When I recognized
the pastor’s actions to be a “life-saving” rescue mission, it illustrated a
greater sense of urgency to reach out and rescue the drowning “unsaved” world around
me.
While completing my run and
reflecting on the pastor’s story, I was moved to sing a song I learned in
Sunday school as a young child:
“I
will make you fishers of men…fishers of men…fishers of men.
I will make you fishers
of men…if you follow Me!”
With our transformational
testimonies ready and the gospel truth at hand…let’s grab our nets and…Go Fish!
GOING
DEEPER:
1. Fishing requires great patience!
Consider where you need to cast your net and be rescue-ready.
FURTHER
READING:
Married to Dan, Karen, a retired
police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and as an
instructor in the Cosmetology Department at WCTC. Karen also serves on the
Welcoming Team at Oakwood.
