Rubbing tired eyes, wiping sweat from dirty brows, the fishermen again hauled in empty nets. Even with years of experience and excellent skills, all night the men had fished, and yet nothing showed for their hard work. Now on the shore, the three men washed their nets and hoped for a better day.

Then a man came, got in Simon’s boat, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. The man, Jesus, began teaching as Simon listened and wondered. After Jesus finished, He asked Simon to go to the deep water and let down his nets for a catch. The fisherman responded, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and letdown the nets.” When Simon let down his nets, fish that alluded him all night, now jumped into his nets. So many fish jumped in, that his friends came and filled their boats with so many fish their vessels began to sink (Luke 5:1-11).

When money was needed to pay a tax, Jesus told Peter “go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me” (Matthew 17:24-27). A need was met by a fish jumping on a hook.

Later, after Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, He stood on the beach and called to His disciples, but they didn’t know it was Jesus. “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” He asked. They answered Him, ‘No.’ And He said, ‘Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.’” So, they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because their nets were full of 153 large fish!

God’s stories, God’s miracles, don’t end in the Bible or 2000 years ago, He continues to work in our day.

Only a few years ago, hunger growled at the stomachs of four young children. Although hungry, Pastor Manuel and his family made their way by canoe to church. Amazon floods had saturated crops and left them without food in the house and unable to fish in the swollen river.

After the service ended, another pastor asked Manuel if he would minister to a church down river. Planning on dropping off his very hungry wife and children at their home before serving the other congregation, they paddled back toward their house.

Manuel assured his wife, “The Lord will take care of us. I know it. We just need to be faithful.” Being faithful on an empty stomach, and worried about your children going hungry isn’t easy. They continued on their journey in silence.

Then, with a mighty splash, an enormous, fish shot out of the water and landed in their boat. With screams of surprise and glee, they wrestled with a three-foot long, God-given fish. This wasn’t just any fish; this Arowana fish is a delicacy in the fish market that fed their family for a week.

God is a God of abundance, and when God tells fish to jump, they jump with joy to follow their Master’s call. 

Whatever your need, remember God’s miracles continue today, and His provision comes in amazing, miraculous ways. The fish are still jumping!

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful provision and Your amazing miracles. Thank You that even the fish jump for joy to do Your will. Please open my eyes to see how You provide, and help me watch You work. And Father, help me to be like those fish and joyfully jump when You tell me to jump. Praise You, Father!

To read the original Amazon story about Pastor Manuel, please visit Kelly Minter’s website — https://kellyminter.com/2018/04/12/a-big-fish-story-from-the-amazon/

From Time with The Timeless One by Lisa Buffaloe https://amzn.to/31COyiZ