“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
- Matthew 4:19
I guess I know a little about fishing.
I’ve stood on the edge of the water beside my human, nose twitching while watching the line bob up and down in a few small ripples.
There’s something about the water and the quiet.
The waiting.
The early morning mist rising off the water while the sun stretches awake.
A thermos of coffee.
A tackle box that’s older than I am.
Familiar routines repeated so often they become sacred.
I’ve noticed something else.
The best fishing days aren’t always the days when we catch the most fish.
Sometimes we come home with an empty stringer but full hearts.
A conversation happened.
A prayer was whispered.
A laugh echoed across the lake.
A grandchild learned to bait a hook.
A friend shared a burden.
A soul found salvation and rest.
And I think that’s what Jesus may have been getting at when He called ordinary fishermen to follow Him.
He didn’t recruit kings from palaces or scholars from universities.
He stepped into ordinary lives and every day routines, and transformed everyday work into eternal significance… into holy moments
Casting nets became kingdom work.
Boats became classrooms.
Meals became miracles.
Ordinary people became disciples.
I suppose dogs understand ordinary grace better than most.
A scratch behind the ears.
A kind word.
A familiar voice calling my name.
A walk down the same path we’ve traveled a hundred times.
Joy isn’t always found in extraordinary moments.
Often, it’s tucked into the simple rhythms of everyday life if we’re paying attention.
The dishes.
The commute.
The mowing.
The fishing trip.
The bedtime prayers.
God shows up there too.
Maybe that’s why my human keeps going back to the water.
Fishing slows him down enough to notice what was there all along—the Creator reflected in creation, grace hidden in routine, and joy swimming beneath the surface of ordinary days.
As for me, I’ll keep watching from the bank… or the boat. Still convinced that squirrels deserve more attention than a baited hook.
Following Jesus isn’t just about the mountaintop moments and fireworks.
It’s about faithfully showing up in the ordinary and letting Him use simple days, simple people, and simple acts of obedience to draw others to Himself.
Who knows?
The next cast might catch more than a fish.
And this old dog is discovering that sometimes the greatest catch isn’t hanging on the line—it’s finding the presence of God in the ordinary moments of an ordinary day while sharing the extraordinary Truth.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for meeting us in the ordinary routines of life. Open our eyes to Your grace in everyday moments. Make us faithful followers who point others to You through simple acts of love and obedience. Teach us to find joy in the daily rhythms You’ve given us and to become fishers of people wherever You place us. Amen.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
