derekmaul

Abundant Life (it’s no fishing story)

– Gail, Sammie, Angie, Leigh, John Keck, Rebekah, Bill

 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 14:15

Thursday evening Rebekah and I enjoyed the great privilege of sharing a meal at the home of Gail Hussey, who generously hosted our church staff for the evening. The centerpiece was a remarkable Low Country Boil, but everything – from the appetizers to the main course to the dangerously inviting desserts – was beyond good.

– Jesus and the Samaritan “Woman at the Well”

However, and this is always true at such gatherings, the real treat was the conversation, the fellowship, the shared faith and the stories. Food is wonderful, people even more so.

In fact, the dinner reminds me of what Jesus said to his disciples when they returned from a food-finding expedition to discover him talking with the Samaritan Woman at the well (John 4). “I have food to eat that you know nothing about…”

I can just imagine their reaction:

  • James: “Could someone else have bought him some food?”
  • Peter: “But I thought we were supposed to pick up lunch!”
  • Matthew: “Now what? Jesus has a secret stash?”
  • Thomas: “I don’t see anything…”
  • John: “That’s a good one, Jesus. I’d better write it down!”
– huge bluefish

It is the nourishment, the fulfillment, the deep-seated sense of satisfaction that comes with knowing, understanding, sharing and living into the Good News Story. “My food,” Jesus went on to say, “is to do the will of the One who sent me and to finish – to complete – his work” (John 4).

There are a lot of stories I could share, but I will leave it at this: Gail took us to the guest room to see this huge preserved (taxidermy) fish. I am not into fishing but I could tell it was an impressive catch.

– world record bluefish

The mounted specimen was a bluefish that had been caught by Gail’s late husband James Hussey, more than 52 years ago. The fish weighed – and if you do the fishing thing then this will likely mean something to you – 31 pounds 12 ounces.

Jim, and you can see him in this photograph with the unfortunate creature the day its luck ran out off Cape Hatteras, set an official bluefish world record (see certificate below, or Google “biggest bluefish ever caught”).

This is especially interesting because Jim’s record still stands today, by a long shot, and the International Gamefish Association recertifies the record every January 30th, and will do until the day something more impressive comes along.

My devotional tie-in:

Here’s the thing. 2,000 years ago, every last barrier that stood between humankind and reconciliation with our Creator – all that separated me from God – was effectively and finally overcome by Jesus Christ. The barriers still exist, but – as he explained in John 10 – Jesus became “the gate for the sheep.” Jesus is both the invitation and the guide home.

Christ’s achievement is in a sense recertified every time we celebrate Christmas and Easter, every time we go to church, every morning when we invite Jesus, anew, into our lives. But of course there is no need for recertification because there is no “day that something more impressive comes along.” This, my friends, is it. “It is,” as Jesus said on the cross, “completed.”

No fishing story but the truth… and it will set us free – DEREK

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