Everyday Faith with Mary: Fishing with Worms

There is nothing like sitting on a still quiet pond bank fishing.  Oh, the feel of a summer breeze gently blowing on my face, the birds chirping, frogs croaking, fish popping the top of the water as they go after a bug. Ain’t nothing like it.  Some folks like this new-fangled artificial bait.  Not me! Can’t beat fishing with worms. Getting the worm out of the bucket, feeling the slime and the wiggling while holding it in your fingers.  Then, putting it on the hook, getting brown sticky worm guts on your fingers.  Raring back and throwing the line into the water.  Before I know it, my bobber is going under, jerking the pole, hoping to set the hook.  The thrill of the catch or not the catch cause I didn’t set the hook.  Reeling in the line only to discover the fish thief has eaten all my worm, leaving a bare hook shining. Time to start the process over again. And so it goes. I catch and release, no worries if nothing is caught.  Just the solitude of the time. Time to talk to and think about blessings from the Lord.  

I am so blessed, much more than I deserve.  So thankful I do not receive blessing according to what I deserve.  Would definitely be in the negative (red) side of the tally column.  Thank goodness I serve a Lord that doesn’t reward according to how good I am.  Face it, we are all sinners and fall so short of God’s glory.  Yet, He is merciful and kind. He gave us the beautifully quiet pond bank to worship Him and so many more things.  In daily life, my soul gets discolored, brown and sticky, with sin.  I can wash my hands removing the sticky, slimy worm juice.  Removal of my sticky, slimy sins is just as easy by coming to the throne and asking forgiveness.  We all sin.  For Christians, forgiveness is taking the quiet still time with our Lord to ask forgiveness.  Just like on the pond bank, quiet still time to feel his presence and know that He is God. Time to refresh the soul and body. What a powerful Lord we serve! 

 Sin has a way of blocking the blessings God wants to give us. Confession removes the road block so we can receive the joy that  comes with those blessings.  God wants to set the hook so He can give blessings, but we cause Him to miss due to sin in our lives.  Stop for a few minutes and have a little talk with Jesus.  As the song says, it makes it right.  Enjoy the simple things in life and time with  the Savior.  After all, sitting on the pond bank of the soul is more refreshing and healthier than a piece of chocolate cake. 

Amen and God bless