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Writer's pictureLorissa Manners

Dusty Roads and Fisherman's Nets

Updated: Feb 23, 2023

On the dusty roads of Galilee along the paths that lead to the sea, down by the waters edge, where the fisherman are found, there they cast their nets...


It was a normal day, in a normal place, a path where the normal folk came.

Life as usual, the everybody’s, doing the every-day things.

The daily grind, the hustle, the juggling of agendas, the loading up of equipment, the markets and the missions.

Doing the jobs no-one notices, the expected thing, the mundane tasks that nobody cares to see.

Doing the things that everybody needs.



Yet on this day, down by the waters, the fisherman held their nets in hand and hoped for the providential hand that would secure for them the catch of the day.

Nets and needs. It was just another day by the sea, when they heard the call;



Come follow me...and they straight away left their nets and followed him...



Can you hear it? The simple call. It was first said to a few…


Have you ever wondered, what was it that made them leave it all behind?

Was it his gaze, was it the tone of his voice, or was it that he gave them the choice?


Whatever it was, it compelled them, and there by the sea, they laid down their nets…to answer the call;


COME TO ME…



Come...


Lay down the timelines, the deadlines, the schedules and the social rules


Lay down the expectations, the thoughts to be better, to have more…


Lay down the idols of metal, wood and stone that cannot see


Lay down the bundles of sage, the magic wands, the fairy dust and crystal jewels


Lay down the lotto tickets, the horoscope wishes, the destiny cards, the tantra poses, the litany's and the concert tickets


Lay down the dreamcatchers, the totem charms, the angel shrines, the rainbow rally pickets and the retirement fix


Lay down the notions of the perfect partner, the diet wonder and the body builder mantra


Lay down your claim to fame, your instagram name, the Super Bowl game and the TV meal ready-made


Lay down your old ways, the crowd mentality of your social places, those positions and graces



Lay down the nets

The tangled, messy nets.



And come… it's a call for you.


It’s a call to ALL, full inclusion, no elite classes, no favourites and no exceptions.


Perhaps that day, the call echoed the ancient words and phrases,



'Come to the waters, everyone who thirsts, and you who have no money…

come, buy wine and milk, without money and without cost…


Why spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy…


Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight in abundance.

Incline your ear and come to Me; hear, so that your soul may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love that I promised to my servant David…'


Jesus offered them his best when he called them to come, from their wearying hours of casting their nets to the Lord of the Sabbath Rest.



COME TO ME...ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED



Has life let you down?

Have you come up short,

Are your burdens heavy,

Has exhaustion called as the lights fade out?…

If you are weary, come.

If you have burdens, come.

If you need solutions, come.

If life is pressing, come.



I WILL GIVE YOU REST


Rest is the one thing that the wicked will never have.


"For there is no rest for the wicked…The wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud... For in his pride the wicked does not seek him: in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”


There is no peace for the wicked.


Does your ‘best life now’ offer you peace for your soul? Where will you find rest? In sleep or in death? Do your thoughts torment? Has the darkness closed in? Does your soul lament?



TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU


Instead be yoked to Him. A covenant, his faithful love promised.

A joining bond, a fastening tie.

A yoke with Jesus, in Him find life.



AND LEARN FROM ME


Come to the teacher.

To learn the ways that are higher, is to take a step of faith.

Earth has been our teacher, and injustice and misery mark its ways.

The teacher will guide you into all truth and keep your ways secure

They are the ways of selfless love

They bring alignment with heaven’s cause

And release your soul from the devil’s claws.

His ways hold power to break through the bondage holds, the nets, the lies and the ties that the devil could use to entangle your soul




FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART



Do you know what's it like to not measure up?

Do you know of dissolved contracts, of unkept promises,

Do you know of shifting dreams, or of being caught by a con-man's scheme?

Have you been held under a cruel standard, a harsh judgement, an unfair paradox, a rough rule?

Have you suffered from another's wrongs decision and live in injustice?

Have you felt the sting of betrayal, isolation or grief?



Jesus is gentle, he leads with his voice. His heart is benevolent and his choice is - your choice.

He chooses you, and then he chooses your course, but you will decide because he’ll never demand or undercut your will or rewrite your choice.

Can you see that a Master who cares for your heart is a Lord that is holy and your submission is into his pure heart?

Trustworthy and good in all ways. Giving all and asking you for yours, but never with force, and never to shame.


“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, in whom is no variation or shadow of turning. (He is perfect and never changes)."


Though he has all power and authority, he is humble in heart

Your freedom is prized.

Yes, it is your call should you choose another path.



YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS



Rest.

A saving rest.

The music of peace played for your soul.

It allows you to sit quietly in safety.

You are His.

It confirms you.

You have a place and a purpose and permission to be.

To find yourself in His Rest is to sit in the presence

To know His love, His truth, His joy, and in His divine sovereignty.



Rest isn’t a doctrine, a mantra, a myth or a philosophy.

It isn’t an essay of knowledge attained, or a fancy machine mainframe.

It doesn’t have requirements to fulfil, jobs to do or faith to find.

It doesn’t take away your chance to succeed.

It doesn’t rob you of your time.

For time in His presence is more incredible than a fine wine, and he can multiple your efforts in real time.

Rest gives you an experience.

And the experience is Him.

More precious than silver or gold or a diamond ring.




FOR MY YOKE IS EASY



In the sacred space of the heart, in love's embrace

You are reborn, breath touches grace.

A new heart is born

Then the yoke is formed, a covenant of faithful love

You and Him

To know and be known in the deepest parts, you're never alone

You have a sovereign King.




AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT



No worry left here. Have no more fear.

For He is your support.

The burden is light but the answers are clear


It’s time to rest.

Rest from your efforts,

Your perfection was never the call.

Yet knowing him is the ultimate mystery of rest.



So we return again, to that dusty road, that leads from the sea and up the hill to calvary.



A few came.


Once the crowds left and the show was over.


A few.


With bowls of spices and burial clothes. They lovingly took Jesus down from that old rugged tree. That hardened old stake in the ground upon which he hung until his final breath.


For the ones who knew him, there was no other choice but to honour him in death, and then to lay him to rest…


For those who knew him, they needed to do this one last thing.

It compelled them.

And even if they had failed him in life.

Even if they had let fear cause them to run away, to disown him, or forsake him as their Christ

Now they sought him…

His death. A time for those who truly knew him.

There was no other choice but to gently lay him in the tomb…

To dress his lifeless body in the white burial clothes, to anoint his head with oil and to kiss him one last time.

Then the stone was rolled, the tomb closed.

A day of rest.

His Sabbath rest.

Perhaps they would come again, to pay respect, to remember his words and to wait there for resurrection day…



So if you hear him calling you today, will you come? Will you answer His call?



For it is said;



Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as they did in the great rebellion…for 'they did not know My ways, they did not enter My rest'…



It was disobedience and unbelief that held the cold stone in its place.



So if you hear the Spirit calling…

Leave the nets near the waters edge.

Its time to enter Rest.

Behold the resurrection grace

Place aside the hardness of heart

May the stone be dislodged from its place.

And resurrection take place.



A disciple will hear Him calling.

Come follow Me again.

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