When Jesus Reveals Himself

John 21:6-7

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” He told them, “and you’ll find some (fish).” so they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. Therefore, the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”

I love how John thought he was Jesus’s favorite. We’d all be more secure if we realized just how much He loves us and could simply rest in that perfect love for us. Unfortunately, too many of us struggle with the insecurity of trying to perform in order to be accepted. John could just be, which is exactly where Jesus wants us to be – secure and assured of His great love.

In these verses, we see how Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples after the resurrection. Since they could no longer follow Him physically, they had gone back to what they were doing before they met Him – fishing. Although they were highly skilled fishermen, they had caught nothing all night. They could do nothing in their own strength, including being successful in the things that gave them success before they encountered Christ. They had sat there all night, unfruitful, unproductive, and unsuccessful.

Jesus called to them from the shore, instructing them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat. They did not realize who He was, but nothing else had worked for them. They certainly had nothing to lose by following this man’s suggestion. When they did, they received such a large catch they could not haul it all in. They had seen this before, and they immediately recognized who had given them the instruction. Jesus had blessed their catch tremendously when He called them, and now He had blessed them again after the resurrection. Surely, He still had purpose for them!

When He revealed Himself to Him, they recognized Him. The first time they saw this miracle, He called them to follow Him. Now, He called them to feed His sheep. As they did, they continued to see His miracles. He had been with them during their discipleship phase to learn from Him, and He would continue to be with them during their ministry phase, where He would now do miracles through them.

We all need Jesus to reveal Himself to us. Until He does, we will also flounder in our own strength as we desperately try to be productive. Without Him, we can do nothing, but with Him, we can do all things. Ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you today. Ask Him to show you where He is working in your life. He has promised never to leave you, and He has called you for a purpose. When you see Him, there will be no denying His work or His power. Follow Him, feed His sheep, and fulfill your calling. He is there – somewhere – just waiting to be found.

Have a blessed day!