Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life.
Early on winter mornings I used to walk across the Nile bridge between Khartoum North and Omdurman. The 45 minutes each way gave me time to pray for the coming day. As well as the busy traffic on the road I looked down on several fishermen on the river. They had fires in their boats. They came ashore after fishing.
After Jesus was crucified his disciples were unsure exactly what had happened. What should they should do now? Life had not worked out as they had expected. Their hopes and dreams of life with Jesus appeared broken.
Naturally enough, Peter suggested to the others they could join him on a fishing trip. Peter and some of his friends were skilled fishermen. They all needed food to eat. They could use their God-given skills. The peace and quiet of a night on the lake would give them time to think and to pray.
By early morning they had caught nothing. A man they did not recognise called to them from the shore. Their boat was close in. He told them to fish to starboard – the right side of the boat. They did. Their catch was a very good one!
John and Peter thought, “This man is Jesus! The same Jesus we saw crucified is risen from the dead”.
At breakfast together on the shore Jesus prepared cooked bread and fish for his disciples. He knew what they needed. He helped them work to catch what they could for themselves, and He probably supplied the rest. The Scripture is not clear who brought the bread!
Sometimes in life we are uncertain of our own future. We need a quiet break to help us think and pray things through. Our Lord Jesus is always waiting to meet us at the place we choose to go to. He will provide for us. All we need to do is to make the time.
Read John 21:1-14.
October 2008.