Filled to Capacity

Jesus appeared...to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

.
Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

.
“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was.

.
He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
.
“No,” they replied.
.

Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”
.

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

.

"Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

.

“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. John 21:1-12 (NLT)

.
Hmmmm...I've been thinking...more or less I guess today I've got some questions. I don't have the answers but I hope my questions turn into questions for you as well and as you walk around the wonderful place that is God's creation today you "mutter" just like I am.
.

First of all, why does John not just say "I said to Peter...?" Instead he says "the disciple Jesus loved..." I find that interesting. Today we are always so worried about making sure everybody knows what WE did and we want to make sure OUR name is on it as if we are a brand or trademark. But not John. In my opinion, he was humble. The story isn't about him, it's about Jesus!

.

Second, "[t]here were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn..." Wow! I find "the net hadn't torn" part very interesting. Jesus can fill our nets to capacity, above capacity and yet hold it together so that it doesn't break. And, also, he can give us the strength to carry the net. "Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore." John was so astounded by the capacity of the fish in the net that he even gave us a number, 153 large fish...he doesn't refer to the smaller ones so there is no telling the total number of fish in that net. But, anyway, it seems to me that the net was "fuller" (if that's even a word) than they had ever seen before. Wonder what made Peter think he could drag that net onto shore by himself? It doesn't say that "the disciples" dragged the net. It says SIMON PETER dragged the net. Wonder why he didn't ask for help?

.

Isn't God just great? Not only does he continually teach us that we must be humble but he teaches us that he can fill our nets above and beyond capacity only at HIS timing and then he gives us the strength to lug the heavy thing to shore. *Sigh* Our Savior never fails!