Breakfast On The Beach

by SCHLEYER, G.K. | Category: N/a | Feb 2008

Life with the risen Jesus

We can often compartmentalize our lives into work, family, church, social, personal, etc. and disconnect the spiritual aspects from the everyday things of life. But is this right? Following Jesus doesn't involve a spiritual retreat cut off from the realities of daily life, for He is a part of the everyday things of life too. The Lord appeared to the disciples on a number of occasions after His resurrection, but perhaps it was on the beach (John 21:1-14) that they least expected to see Him. It was when they were going about their business as usual that He showed them what life with the risen Jesus was all about. It is about Him being there, encouraging and helping us at work and home, in our studies, in our lonely and sad moments and in our times of joy and success. He's there waiting for us with something nourishing and sustaining to see us through the day. How does this happen? Surely it's through our daily reading in the Word when He speaks to us and gives us what we need for the day, for the journey. It's where we meet Him, commune with Him in prayer and are amazed by Him and what He can do for us. But that requires reading or listening to it, applying it and acting on it.

Impact of the Word

Notice that both the scene (Galilee's shores) and the scenario (no results to show for a hard night's work) in John 21:1-14 are similar to those in Luke 5:1-11 where some of the disciples earlier learnt the vital lesson that success comes by doing what the Lord commands. In Luke 5:5 Simon answered the Lord, �"Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your word I will let down the nets."� It's so important to daily listen for His command in the Word. As we read and listen to the Word of God so as to understand its meaning and discern His will for us, God's Word will instruct us and influence our will. It takes clarity (taking time in the Word to understand its meaning, discerning God's will for us) and conviction (being influenced by the Word of truth) to walk by the divine command, in divine authority (to act upon the Word).

'Remember the morning watch'

Life with the risen Jesus begins with breakfast. When our day starts with Him, it usually goes a lot better than we expect. Nutritionists tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and neglecting it leads to under-performance. In 1882 a group of dedicated Cambridge University students set out to spend the first minutes of each day alone with God, praying and reading their Bibles. They called it the 'morning watch' but it wasn't easy to get up on time. They soon found, like other great men and women of God, that through discipline and the desire to meet with God, it was possible to spend consistent time with Him. The busier the day, the more important it is to ask God to guide and help us through it. Our prayer must be,

�In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait in expectation� (Ps.5:3 NIV).

The same young men, known then as the 'Cambridge Seven', set out in missionary service to China, giving up everything for Christ.

"Come and have some breakfast"

We have to go out into the real world to face real problems and cares � a world of pain and suffering, frustration and disappointment and we need the Lord with us to make a success of life. He understands and He has overcome � remember He has experienced life's problems too. If we start the day with Jesus, sit down with Him at breakfast, enjoy His company in the Word and in prayer as He makes Himself known to us, plan the day with Him and take His advice, then the day will end as it began, counting our blessings. How much more fruitful and blessed our lives could be if we responded daily to Jesus' invitation to, "Come and have some breakfast."

SCHLEYER, G.K. | Feb 2008
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