John 21:3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

I can imagine the mental/emotional state of the disciples at this point. They had been through the incredible storm of emotions around Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, but now what? They didn’t know what to do with themselves, and they couldn’t force Jesus to appear to them. Up until about three years previous, most of them had been professional fishermen, so when Peter suggested doing that again, he got a good bit of agreement. What they did certainly wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t what some people would call a “spiritual” answer to their situation. The thing is, God knows our daily lives, our routines, and He meets us where we are. Some people might insist that they should have had a Bible study of all the passages Jesus had referenced to Cleopas and his friend on the way to Emmaus. That wouldn’t have been bad, but they weren’t ready for it. The thing is, all of our lives are to be submitted to God, not matter how ordinary or “unspiritual” they might seem to us. As Paul said, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17) That includes fishing, which in this case was the disciples “secular” occupation. An excellent rule of thumb in judging whether you should do something is to think honestly about whether you can do it in the name of Jesus, that is, in line with Him and His character. That includes some perhaps surprising things, such as bodily functions and the like, but God knows how He created us, and Jesus was as human as we are, in addition to being fully divine. As this chapter tells us, God used, indeed planned, Peter’s impulse to teach these disciples some very important things, so we should be expecting God to meet us in our daily lives.

I have encountered God in worship settings, certainly, but I have also encountered Him in totally mundane settings, when I wasn’t expecting it at all. However, even in those settings my heart was open and sensitive to Him. He has taught me things in some decidedly un-religious settings! He wants to use us as His witnesses, (Acts 1:8) and we don’t know who is watching or listening to us when. I am to strive to keep my focus on Him at all times, whatever my body or mind is doing otherwise. I can’t do that consistently on my own, but when that is my desire, He will enable me to follow through.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how You spoke to and through me yesterday, and for how You are going to use me today. May I not put limits of any kind on how You would use me, but rather walk in grateful obedience whatever the circumstances, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!