The ways of the heart were many and the needs of the soul were legion.”
–Ralph Peters (Valley of the Shadow)
“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
–Isaiah 58:12 (NIV)
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I came across a wonderful piece of reading the other day and I want to share much of it with you. I would say this is a “life lesson,” one we have all gone through and most likely will again.
“He saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother…mending their nets; and he called them.” –Matthew 4:21
“The God of all grace…make you perfect.” –1 Peter 5:10
Many times in the New Testament the word “perfect” is used for becoming “mature” but here there is a different notation. This is the same word that is used in Matthew for the mending of the nets. The God of grace will mend your nets for you. The NIV renders the verse in Peter, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Mend the nets–restore.
“The God of grace will make you perfect. The God of grace will mend your nets for you.” (George Morrison) In the boat with us is the “Net-mender.” I used to be a fisherman and at the beginning of every year I made sure to change the line in my reel. Use over the past year might have weakened it in spots, it was easily twisted and I didn’t want to be out fishing and lose a fish or get a bird’s nest of line. Those who fish commercially use nets, and they are constantly involved with repair.
How does a net get broken? The first reason is through normal, ordinary use. They get worn because they are well-used. The sea works on them, rough hands work on them, they are rubbed along the side of the boat, and there is the catch that might be in them. The handling of tackle can not be gentle, it is rough, hard work. Therefore, there is the constant need of mending the nets. Think on that! Through normal life we sometimes get to the breaking point and have to be repaired. The stress of life works on us and a mending is required, a restoring.
Nets can also be broken through contact of some obstacle. An obstruction in the waters may tear the net. It could be a hidden rock, a reef, or even a wreckage that snags the net. The net drags over it and is torn while being freed. Life is like that. There are circumstances that tear at the soul. Loss of a loved one, wreckage of love, a broken friendship, or a lost dream or career. Faith can be faltered and weakened, but there is a Net-mender in the boat.
Perhaps you have had the disappointment of losing a fish due to the strain on the line or the fight in the fish. The very thing you are trying to catch will break the line. We remember the story of Jesus telling Peter to lower his net on the other side. The strain of the fish in the nets began to break the net. Morrison writes, “Life has been so easy that all that is best and noblest has decayed. Prosperity has had a hardening influence, and luxury has diminished every sympathy. Endowed with everything that makes life rich–surrounded with all imaginable comforts, how many there are who have never done a hand’s turn to leave the world better than they found it!” Luxury, good times, has weakened the net, plus the fact that perhaps the net had not be cleaned from the previous catch or outing. This can weaken the net, improper cleaning or attention.
Watch the Master net-mender at His task. Notice with deft hands how He puts the net, put the life back together. If I tried to mend a net I would be a complete failure, ah, but that is the job of the Holy Spirit–to mend us. The Lord’s hands are nimble and will mend the net of your soul, of your heart, of your mind. With His tender touch He mends the net. The work of mending the net may take time, but the Master has the patience to deal with the rip in the net. He never hurries in His mending for it must be done right. He is deliberate in His workings, and so deliberate that you and I may become irritated at His slowness. We want it fixed now. We have things to do. Yet we cannot depart without the net being mended. “If you and I are ever to be perfect, it will take infinite patience to achieve it.” (Morrison)
(Note: much of the thoughts are taken from George H. Morrison (1866-1928), “The Net Mender”)
———————————-
I came across a wonderful piece of reading the other day and I want to share much of it with you. I would say this is a “life lesson,” one we have all gone through and most likely will again.
“He saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother…mending their nets; and he called them.” –Matthew 4:21
“The God of all grace…make you perfect.” –1 Peter 5:10
Many times in the New Testament the word “perfect” is used for becoming “mature” but here there is a different notation. This is the same word that is used in Matthew for the mending of the nets. The God of grace will mend your nets for you. The NIV renders the verse in Peter, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Mend the nets–restore.
“The God of grace will make you perfect. The God of grace will mend your nets for you.” (George Morrison) In the boat with us is the “Net-mender.” I used to be a fisherman and at the beginning of every year I made sure to change the line in my reel. Use over the past year might have weakened it in spots, it was easily twisted and I didn’t want to be out fishing and lose a fish or get a bird’s nest of line. Those who fish commercially use nets, and they are constantly involved with repair.
How does a net get broken? The first reason is through normal, ordinary use. They get worn because they are well-used. The sea works on them, rough hands work on them, they are rubbed along the side of the boat, and there is the catch that might be in them. The handling of tackle can not be gentle, it is rough, hard work. Therefore, there is the constant need of mending the nets. Think on that! Through normal life we sometimes get to the breaking point and have to be repaired. The stress of life works on us and a mending is required, a restoring.
Nets can also be broken through contact of some obstacle. An obstruction in the waters may tear the net. It could be a hidden rock, a reef, or even a wreckage that snags the net. The net drags over it and is torn while being freed. Life is like that. There are circumstances that tear at the soul. Loss of a loved one, wreckage of love, a broken friendship, or a lost dream or career. Faith can be faltered and weakened, but there is a Net-mender in the boat.
Perhaps you have had the disappointment of losing a fish due to the strain on the line or the fight in the fish. The very thing you are trying to catch will break the line. We remember the story of Jesus telling Peter to lower his net on the other side. The strain of the fish in the nets began to break the net. Morrison writes, “Life has been so easy that all that is best and noblest has decayed. Prosperity has had a hardening influence, and luxury has diminished every sympathy. Endowed with everything that makes life rich–surrounded with all imaginable comforts, how many there are who have never done a hand’s turn to leave the world better than they found it!” Luxury, good times, has weakened the net, plus the fact that perhaps the net had not be cleaned from the previous catch or outing. This can weaken the net, improper cleaning or attention.
Watch the Master net-mender at His task. Notice with deft hands how He puts the net, put the life back together. If I tried to mend a net I would be a complete failure, ah, but that is the job of the Holy Spirit–to mend us. The Lord’s hands are nimble and will mend the net of your soul, of your heart, of your mind. With His tender touch He mends the net. The work of mending the net may take time, but the Master has the patience to deal with the rip in the net. He never hurries in His mending for it must be done right. He is deliberate in His workings, and so deliberate that you and I may become irritated at His slowness. We want it fixed now. We have things to do. Yet we cannot depart without the net being mended. “If you and I are ever to be perfect, it will take infinite patience to achieve it.” (Morrison)
(Note: much of the thoughts are taken from George H. Morrison (1866-1928), “The Net Mender”)