It may take me years of standing in a trout stream with my fly rod, to catch the biggest fish. The scenery and reality of a beautiful day may entertain me in the interim, and there may be plenty of small fish caught along the way. But if I do not have the posture and attitude that I could catch a big fish on every cast, I may miss that divine appointment when it comes.
Faith tells me it could happen on every cast. So, I lean forward in anticipation on every cast because the suddenness of the strike may startle me enough in just straightening up to help me set the hook. Of course, once I have the fish on the line, I have to land him, which is an entirely different set of challenges in itself.
As we approach the season of Advent, what is your posture towards what God has in mind for you? Are you leaning forward ready to receive from Him a divine appointment He has for you?
Last weekend, a lady I did not know and had not seen was staying after our Church service struggling to write a note on her bulletin and apparently crying as she wrote. I decided to stand by for a moment and I approached her when she was finished. “May I help you” was all I needed to say. She was new to the Church and needed some pastoral help and I took her to meet our pastor who became involved right away. Christmas can be a really tough time and leaning forward—being ready to hear from and be used by God—is the only posture you should assume at Christmas.
You know, it was getting late. I had someplace I needed to be. It was right there. After all, aren’t we also to be fishers of men?