18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22
Snow Day. Nothing inspires more students to joy and trepidation to parents than when the Superintendent informs families that school is not in session due to the weather. While children enjoy in the interruption into their schedules, no longer having to take tests, study new ideas and complete homework, parents have a far greater response. Snow Days are an unwelcome interruption because work schedules must be changed because students need supervision. Parents must make changes to appointments and driving schedules, parents have to make sure they have enough milk and bread for kids who would normally be at school. Snow days can be a welcome and an unwelcome interruption into our lives.
Imagine the interruption in the lives of Simon and Andrew, James and John, when Jesus approaches their boats around the Sea of Galilee. To fish as a profession means to keep schedules, times when the repairs need to be finished, times when sailing out to sea needs to happen, times to throw the nets and times to pull them in. While amid the daily fishing routine, Jesus interrupts, follow me, I will make you fishers of men. Stop that work and start my work. Leave this place and follow me to another. The 4 fishermen certainly did not expect an encounter with Jesus, nor allow time in their day for a jaunt elsewhere, yet nonetheless, Jesus interrupts their schedules, routines, and lives with His call to follow. Would it be welcome or unwelcome?
What happens when Jesus interrupts our days? What happens when Jesus interrupts our plans and our schedules, with an unexpected encounter, or an unexpected chore, or an unexpected mission moment, or an unexpected possibility to love an unknown neighbor? Would Jesus’ call be welcome or unwelcome? We do have moments of God-awareness when we hear the call, see the opportunity and obey the direction of Christ. But we also have those moments, when out of our aggravations, and in our self-interest, we miss the call, we fail to see, we disobey the direction of Christ. We have moments when we follow the impulses of the Holy Spirit and allow Christ’s plan to interrupt our plans, but we also have times when perhaps we resist and end up interrupting Christ’s plan, insisting on our own.
The good news of the Gospel is that wrapped up inside the Call of Jesus is not only the power to recognize who is calling us, when that happens; but also, the power to obey it. Jesus is not just the Son of God with the authority to demand obedience. Jesus is also the Son of Man with the faith to give it. Who better to help us accept God’s Call upon us, whenever God may give it, that the one who is also the new and perfect Adam who chooses to perfectly follow the direction of God? Jesus is not just God commanding us, but Jesus is also the perfect human able and willing to follow. Jesus is not just God, but also our Brother. This is why the 4 fishers can follow. Most would have blown Jesus off, but these 4 follow, because He has something not seen before. Not just another teacher, with ideas and directives, but with the authority of God. So, the 4 leave behind boats, nets and families and follow Jesus, even amid the enormous interruption to their lives.
Friends, we find ourselves in a few short moments once again in the time of Lent, the season of introspection and transformation. Perhaps what we can do thanks to the Spirit of Jesus Christ, is learn to allow the many interruptions of God into our lives instead of resisting and insisting on our own plans and schedules. Perhaps what we could do this Lent is to step into a time and place where we, without ceasing, follow the direction of God over and in our lives, by giving up our times into the hands of God; instead of following our own directions, by taking our times into our own hands. Perhaps this Lent, we can be more like the 4 fishermen who followed the Call of Christ which interrupts, instead of the 4 who stayed by the Lake. Amen.
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