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“Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

– Luke 5:5  

As I think about my life, there are things I never would have done if I had known how hard they were going to be. You probably have a long list, too.  

Babies are cute enough to charm us through the sleepless nights. I think Pr. Paul knows this all too well and will be reminded of that again soon. Beginnings start shining and new and exciting. I think they need to, to get our attention.    

The same happens for Jesus’ friends, as they begin their ministry with him. He provides them with a huge catch of fish, and then invites them to travel with him. Looking back 2,000 years, we can see that they had no idea what they were getting into. “Fishing for people” is interesting, but a vague job description. Still, they sign on.  

And still we sign on, following this same vague job description. We can never know all the details, but that’s where faith comes in. We have no idea what we’re getting into when we sense Jesus nudging us in new directions. And over and over again I am surprised and in awe of where God leads me and our church, places I never imagined or would have had the courage to go without the Holy Spirit’s gift of curiosity and exploration.  

Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit calls us to follow God’s call out of our comfort zones. Moses and the Israelites are led out of Egypt, into the dessert. To be his disciples, Jesus calls plain, ordinary fisherman.  At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit called Gentiles from varied cultures and languages.  All these people are led out of places of comfort and familiarity into new life.    

We are all called go follow.  But what does that mean in each of our lives? God is faithful and true and while we might not always know the destination or even agree with it, God always walks with and ahead of us on the path of serving others, deepening our faith, speaking up for others who cannot speak for themselves, welcoming the stranger, and more.   

Yes, God is calling you and calling our church to follow. In the next five weeks, we will be praying and thinking about how God is leading. We will hear about where we have been and where we are heading. This will be a spiritual journey. Our church is heading toward our one-hundred-year anniversary in 2023! A huge historical point in the life of our church. God is always leading us to grow and be transformed as a sign and hope in God’s work among us.  Let’s see what God has in store for you and this church. My challenge for you this week is to take time to pray about the ways in which God is leading you and guiding you in your life. Amen.