Count Your Fish and Have Breakfast with Jesus

Yes, I really said count your fish.  However, I don’t mean literal fish. I mean count the blessings.

In the last chapter of John, the resurrected Jesus appeared for the third time to the disciples.  Peter and a few others have gone out in their boat to fish, but catch nothing.  The next morning, Jesus calls to them from the shore.

“Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”  When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” 

John 21:5-6

The disciples didn’t realize this was Jesus until after they caught all the fish.  Even though they could see him on the shore, their eyes were not open to truly see Him until after they experienced the bounty.

Aren’t we just like these disciples at times?

Sometimes we don’t see the Lord until we see the evidence.

When they made it back to shore, they discovered that Jesus had already prepared breakfast for them.  A fire was burning, fish was cooking, and bread was ready for the eating. 

Jesus has already prepared the meal for us.  We just have to come to Him.

Jesus then told them to bring some of the fish they had caught.  I’m not sure why since he already had fish and, well, we know what he can do with a few a fish and a loaf of bread.  But, maybe, it was so they could truly know how blessed they were.  Maybe it was so they could count the blessings.

Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore.  It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.  

John 21:11

John doesn’t simply tell us they dragged a net full of fish to shore.  He makes the point to tell us the net was full, the fish were large, and the net was not torn from the weight.  But there is one more detail he includes…

The net that was empty before Jesus arrived, now strained with 153 large fish.

Someone bothered to count the fish. All 153 of them.

Someone bothered to count the blessings.

If someone thought it important to count the number of fish in a net, do you think we should bother counting our own fish?  Don’t you think we also should count the blessings Jesus gives us?  Not to gloat or compare, but to remember.  Remember Jesus’ love for us, His provisions for our needs, and His desire to give us even more than we deserve.

Our fish may not be the same as these fishermen on a lake.  Our fish may be people in our lives, positive test results, food on our table, gas in our car, or simply a smile from a stranger when we are feeling lonely.  They may be a few moments of silence to just be still or sitting at a ballpark cheering on a child as they play the sport they love.

Whatever your fish look like, they are a blessing.  A gift from Jesus simply because He loves you.

Count your fish.

Jesus came, took the bread and gave it them, and did the same with the fish.

John 21:13

Jesus did one more thing while he was with his disciples that morning.  He prepared a breakfast and waited for them to join Him. 

Jesus wants you to join him, too.  He wants to spend time with you and share with you. 

So, count your fish and sit down to have breakfast with Jesus.  He is waiting for you to come.

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