Tuesday, November 8, 2022
My husband not only has a real gift at preaching and teaching, but is also a great story teller in his own right. One story is pretty fishy and, like his boat stories, needs to be told! He writes;
Our family had gone down to Honolulu harbor for a picnic. Since the area was good for catching hammerhead sharks, my brother, Bob, and I brought our fishing poles along to see what we could catch. The usual strategy was to use a 6 ft steel leader on 80-pound test monofilament line with a piece of squid baiting the hook at the end. We would have a grand fight bringing the shark up close to shore, then release it, setting it free. We set our poles up in the rocks with a bell on them to notify us if anything bit, then went over to enjoy our picnic dinner of taco salad, sitting on the grassy area next to the rocky shore line.
We had just gotten started eating when the little bell affixed to the pole began to ring excitedly. My brother and I jumped up and ran over to begin reeling in our catch. I slowly reeled the line in until I could just see the swivel that connected the steel leader to the monofilament line just below the surface. As the steel leader was about to break the surface of the water the line shot straight out into the harbor with my reel screaming as it spun off. I had never had this happen before, but this was just the beginning of what turned out to be the most epic fight I’d ever had with rod and reel.
I began reeling the line in slowly for the second time and just as before, as the leader appeared under the surface of the dirty water it would suddenly race out into the harbor. By the 4th repetition of this cycle we were beginning to attract an audience, and with each cycle our little group grew till there were 4 other men standing around us cheering us on. After 30 minutes of this back and forth, my arms were getting tired so, with gloved hands, we began to handline this stubborn fish up the shore. With the crowd now lending their help, several of us would grab the line and walk up the shore away from the water, but just as before, when victory seemed to be ours the line began to pull harder than we could and we all let go at the same time, making us realize this was going to be an exhausting victory if it were to be ours.
We had now been fighting this stubborn fish for close to 45 minutes when I happen to notice a couple kids about 50 yards down the rocky shoreline who had also garnered an audience. They too were fighting a beast out to sea. As we walked up the shore I could see them walking toward the water, and when we felt the line pull free from our hands the next time I noticed they and their crowd were walking their line away from the water. I had a sinking feeling that something was amiss. Then I had an idea on how to verify it: I told our audience that we decided to release our catch the next time the steel leader appeared. As they all walked away from the water I took my diagonal cutters and reached down toward the swivel then, as I cut thru the line, I turned to see what happened to the group down the beach. They all instantly fell backwards onto the shore. I didn’t have the heart to tell them or the crowd that had been helping us. Thanking them for all their help, my brother and I let the kids down the beach go home with a story of the big one that got away. Apparently, our lines had gotten tangled on each other a ways off shore just past a buoy which acted as a pulley far enough out into the harbor that we did not realize what was happening. Probably my favorite day fishing with my brother ever.
Tim and Bob were in a battle for what they thought was the “catch of the century” when truth be told, they were in a battle they couldn’t win. It was only when Tim suspected the truth and acted upon it, were they able to be set free from the entanglement they found themselves in. John 8:32 says, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
The Bible speaks of hordes of battles, many which are directed against us and or raging in us: Galatians 5:17 says, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Romans 7:23 adds, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” The list could go on. There is a battle for our minds and devotion. Furthermore, Ephesians 6:12 goes on to say, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.” This is a spiritual battle that each of us faces every single day.
Do you get tired, frustrated and discouraged feeling like you are fighting a losing battle? As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are not alone in this battle. Psalm 18:39 explains, “For you have armed me with strength for the battle.” The “You” the Psalmist is talking about is God. God has armed us for battle. Remember the armor of God in Ephesians 6. Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Our weapons are mighty because we serve an all-powerful, almighty God. Nevertheless, there is a key word in that last verse for our success. Did you see it? It’s obedience. God has given us everything we need to face our battles, but it does us no good if we are not willing to be obedient to Him.
It’s hard enough, fighting the battles around us without fighting against God, our Creator and Salvation. The song we sang as children, a song I have not heard sung for many years, says: “Trust and obey for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” Let Him fight your battles, give the control reigns over to Him. Romans 8:37 says, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” He has already won the war through His death and resurrection, so let Him have the victory in your life.
Let the truth set you free!
Blessings, Mari
