20180618: A koi catching experience [Mark 1:16-18]

(Photo: the 7 cute koi in the pond - 4 orange and 3 white)

Mark 1:16-18 : Come, follow me " Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men"

Today , 18/6/2018 , was a REEL FISHING experience for us!

We tried to move our 7 koi out of the pond temporary before the house painting start this week.  Using one big net and another small one - we managed only to catch one of the 7! After more than 1.5 hours - we decided to give up and released the caught one back to the pond! 

Imagine 3 older men, 1 young man and myself running from end to end, chasing, using all kinds of sticks and boards - just trying to catch them into the fishing net! Oh My! It was a tough going process!

What I observed during this catching time?

• The Koi fish is really intelligent! They could sense us and avoided all our nets by swimming extraordinary fast in split seconds!
• They are able to duck well!
• We were ill- experienced 'fishermen" LOL!!!

Reflections

As we left the pond, I was reminded of this verse when Jesus first called the 2 disciples, Simon Peter and Andrew  out from their fishing profession.

They were fishermen, casting their net into the sea on a normal day.

But when Jesus called them, they straightaway forsook their nets and followed Jesus.

After this afternoon's adventure, I realised that it is NOT EASY to fish or draw the net to catch a fish! Even in a pond! Not to mention the sea where the waters is vast!

I guess fishing requires lots of skill and help from the Lord!

Nothing is too difficult for the Lord as I remember how he performed his miracle of that coin in the fish mouth in Mat 17:24-27 Peter was asked to cast a fish hook and "the first fish that came up -open its mouth and you will find a shekel"  Exact amount enough to pay the temple tax!

The there was the second miraculous catch of 153 fish in last chapter of John 21:11.  Why 153? That is another interesting discussion. But imagine the whole night the disciples were fishing empty handed,  Discouraged. Until Jesus came to the rescue.  

Some thoughts

In today's context, the fishes in the world are also smart like the koi.

They ducked and avoided the gospel or good news when approached by fishermen.

Unless the Lord builds the house, we labour in vain.

Just like the futile 1.5 hours over chasing the koi in vain.

After that exhausting chase, guess we need to learn to be still again.

Let the waters rest.

And the Koi catch their breath. 

Ha Ha ha.

We failed in first attempt...

Well, well....next time mate! you bet you will be caught next in the net!