Nothing spectacular happened on this day, 500 years ago. In fact, I have nothing on my Anabaptist timeline until August. It reminds me of the theme of my sermon this past Sunday on John 21:1-14. Here is my introduction and conclusion. Do your own reflection on the biblical story in between.

We just finished celebrating Easter just over a week ago. Now, it’s back to the daily grind of ordinary life. Students and teachers have gone back to school after spring break. Does God come to us during ordinary time? What relevance does Easter have for my daily existence? Does menial life have any meaning? The resurrection seems so far away and impractical.

The disciples were no doubt somewhat confused, aimless, disillusioned, and disheartened by the whirl of tragic and dramatic events just a few days prior. “So, what do we do now?” They too were left wondering what it all meant. As the story opens in John 21, we find them waiting for Jesus to “show himself” at the Sea of Galilee as he had instructed them. Are we also waiting for Jesus to reveal himself to us today?

The interesting thing about this miraculous catch of fish is that it takes place in an ordinary “pre-resurrection-like” scene in the former occupations of the majority of the disciples. Even in the daily material world, Jesus is at work. We also struggle with our faith in the everyday world, but as we trust and obey, God provides abundantly and miraculously for our needs.

How might this story look for us today?

If you are a fisher, go fishing, obey Jesus commands, and recognize God’s handiwork in God’s miraculous provisions… like the catching of a fish!

If you are a gardener or a farmer, go plant your seeds or go prune your berry bushes, obey Jesus commands, and recognize God’s handiwork in God’s miraculous provisions… like an abundant harvest.

If you are an administrator, go to your office, obey Jesus commands, and recognize God’s handiwork in God’s miraculous provisions… like things coming together for the completion of a task!

If you are a student, go study, obey Jesus commands, and recognize God’s handiwork in God’s miraculous provisions… like the passing of a test!

If you are a teacher, go teach, obey Jesus commands, and recognize God’s handiwork in God’s miraculous provisions… like the transformation of a student’s life.

All of us, each one of us is accepted by God with our different personalities, qualities, interests and vocations. God accepts us with our failures and struggles of faith.

God is interested in our daily, ordinary, bodily lives. Jesus is present in our working and playing, eating, and sleeping, in all that we do! As we put our faith in Jesus and obey his commands, we will begin to notice the presence of Christ in our lives.

Will you be like John and recognize him?  Will you be like Peter and do something about it? Jesus comes to us, not so much in great meetings or through great people, but simply, as we give him the fruit of our menial service and as we recognize the divine touch in our earthy, daily experiences.