2 Same 19:11-20:13
John 21:1-25
Psalm 120:1-7
Proverbs 16:16-17
Commentary from the person who posted the video to YouTube: "Shane Godfrey lost 50 pounds and didn't look like himself, according to his Facebook post. The Sanford, NC man spent five weeks in the hospital recovering from complications caused by the flu. Shane almost died. When he came home, he was most excited to see his dog, Willie. But at first, Willie wasn't excited to see him."
A bit long today, but hopefully worth it. If you can, click on the link above and watch the video. After a period of absence and a physical change (and I wish I could lose 50 pounds myself!), the dog didn't recognize its master…until something familiar triggered the recognition. When Willie got close enough to Shane to smell him, he realized who Shane was - to Willie's great joy. At the end of the video there, you see Willie pick something up, apparently to go play fetch with Shane like they used to.
In today's NT reading, Jesus had been away from the disciples, the separation not defined by time, but - in the disciples' minds - more permanently by death. And so when Jesus called out to them, they didn't recognize Him. But then something happened - something familiar - that triggered the disciples' recognition of their Master - after a futile night's work fishing, this Stranger told them to chuck their nets on the other side of the boat, and their nets were filled with fish.
This wasn't the first time this had happened - in chapter 5 of his gospel, Luke describes how Simon first got to know Jesus. Yes, it was after a futile night's work fishing, and Jesus told them to let down their nets, and their nets were filled with fish.
So when it happened again, two interesting things: first, they recognized Jesus; and second, these disciples who had been fearful and lost at the death of their Rabbi were back to their Master's business. They were back to playing fetch, to being fishers of men.
If you're like me, you will have these dry spells of separation from our Lord, times when you think He is gone and you are going it on your own. Well Shane wasn't gone, as Willie found out - Shane was just taking care of business. And Jesus wasn't gone, as Peter found out - Jesus was just taking care of business. I pray that I remember that, and when our Lord decides to reveal Himself again to me, that I will have gotten to know Him well enough previously that I recognize Him immediately.
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