Giving Up Fishing

It is no secret I love fishing.  I love being on the water and putting my knowledge of catching fish up against the conditions of that moment I am on the water.  I love the feeling of bringing in a bass, fighting him back to the boat, not knowing how big the fish is when I set the hook.

Yet there is so much more to life than fishing.  I love my family more than fishing and would not be able to fish as much as I do without their support.  I love the fact that I have a relationship with the Lord and do not have to fear death.

I was reading 1 John 4:10 “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  That is love; God loved us so much he sent his son to die for our sins so we could spend eternity in Heaven with him.  

Like I said I love fishing, and last week my friend Josh and I met to do a Bible study together.  We talked about what if God asked me to give up fishing forever.  To be honest the thought made me sick to my stomach.  I am not sure I could.  Yet God sent Jesus to die for us, and not just die but experience a horrible death.  That was far more terrible than not being able to fish.

Well Josh and I were talking about the "what if” of me giving up fishing I thought about Abraham being told he had to sacrifice Isaac.  Abraham followed God and took his son to the mountain top to sacrifice him.  As Abraham was about to kill his son God stepped in and saved Isaac.  I wish I could say I would be like Abraham and be willing to do that.  The truth is I don’t know that I could.  The thought of having to kill my son for the Lord is hard to think about.  The thought of having to give up fishing is not as hard to think about as having to kill my son but it is still hard to think about.

The truth is the Lord could have me stop fishing.  I hope that day never comes, but if it does I hope I can follow the leading of the Lord.  I have given up lots of things in my life because I know it does not bring glory to the Lord or help me be a light to those around me.  I hope the next time you feel God is calling you to give something up for him you will remember what God did for us.