Cleaning Fish
A Parable
And He said to them, Come after Me [as disciples-letting Me be your Guide], follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men! Matthew 4:19 AMP
My pastor and I had made plans to go fishing together. I had recently taken a new job working with the Developmentally Disabled. I needed to know how to fish as a lot of the guys I worked with wanted to go fishing as one of their outings. My husband couldn't teach me as he had never been fishing either.
My pastor is from Canada and he is always talking about fishing and hunting. Who better to teach me. So my husband and I made plans with our pastor for him to teach us. We had planned for months in advance to be able to have the time to do this. I had looked forward to this day with great anticipation. I had never been fishing before and it gave me the added bonus of spending time with my husband and my pastor.
The day arrived. It was a perfect day, all that I could have hoped for. The sun was shining, the breeze was perfect, it was just enough. I found myself singing under my breath as I worked. I was so looking forward to when I would be able to leave for the day. Finally the time arrived and I signed out and headed to my car. I met my husband and we were off to where we had already agreed to meet our pastor.
We met and I was so excited to have this time on this beautiful day just to spend outdoors and be able go fishing. Pastor got out the bait and affixed it to his hook. I watched as he cast out his line hoping to be able to mimic his actions. Shortly thereafter he had a tug on his line. I watched as he slowly reeled the fish in . He truly was a gifted fisherman. I waited with great anticipation to see the size of the fish. He took the hook gently from the mouth and held it up for us to admire. It was a beauty and good sized too. My mouth watered in anticipation of the grilled fish we would eat later that day.
In horror, I watched as he angrily tossed it back into the water. When I questioned his actions, he replied, "it was not cleaned. I only want the ones that are cleaned." I shook my head as I wondered how he could be so stupid! I thought he was supposed to be a great fisherman and even I know that you catch them, and then you clean them.
How often do people put off coming to God, waiting to clean themselves up first?
So often we think that we are to do the work of cleaning ourselves up and then we can hope to approach God and ask Him to save us. We hope to get good enough! I wonder what we think that we can do that is possibly good enough to come to God and ask Him to accept us? Do we think if we don't sin for a certain amount of time, do 100 good deeds and help the poor that we are good enough?
God said that our concept of righteousness is as filthy rags to Him. For we have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; Isaiah 64:6
In the Old Testament, they offered sacrifices for their sins. In the New Testament we learn that Jesus sacrifice on the cross was the only one that we need. Hebrews 10:11-12 tells us the differences in the sacrifices. "Furthermore, every [human] priest stands [at his altar of service] ministering daily, offering the same sacrifices over and over again, which never are able to strip [from every side of us] the sins [that envelop us] and take them away-
12Whereas this One [Christ], after He had offered a single sacrifice for our sins [that shall avail] for all time, sat down at the right hand of God."
I praise God that I live under the sacrifice that Jesus made for me. The law and the works it required was not able to save anyone. "For the Law never made anything perfect, " Hebrews 7:19
God's grace is so amazing. It is so unbelievable to me that I can just ask Him and He will take away all my sins and throw them into the sea of His forgetfulness. What a wonderful and freeing promise that is! I can't possible clean myself up, but Jesus blood has already done that for me. All I have to do is accept His sacrifice and listen to the Holy Spirit leading me. God, through the Holy Spirit, will clean me up. He won't throw me away because I am not already clean!
Thank you Father for Your immeasurable grace. Thank You that You made a way for me to have eternal life. Come into me, clean me up. I know there is nothing I can do to receive Your grace. It is a gift for me to accept. Thank You Jesus for dying for me.