January 8, 2012
Today's Photograph . . . . Will You Be The Shrimp That Are Kept Or . . . (Janet B) |
Matthew 13:47-50
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (NIV)Thoughts
I live on the Gulf Coast of Texas where shrimping is a major source of employment. Shrimp are caught by dragging or trawling a large net along the bottom behind a boat. Once the net is hauled aboard the boat, the shrimpers have the task of going through the catch, picking out the by-catch--whatever else they may have collected besides the shrimp--which is thrown back into the gulf.
Fishing around a working shrimp boat can be quite good because the fish follow the shrimp boats. Fish, through their God-given instincts, know there will be lots of good things to eat as the deck hands discard the by-catch. Kingfish and shark especially follow the boats looking for an easy meal to feast on.
(Tom B)
Action Point
Cleansing the nets of the by-catch is like entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Will you be the shrimp that are kept, people who have professed Jesus Christ as their Savior, or will you be the by-catch, tossed back into the sea of eternal damnation "prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)?
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Fish congregate where they know there is an easy meal available. Many marinas, boat docks, or fishing piers have fish cleaning tables close by. Close to that fish cleaning table is always a good place to wet a line. As anglers clean their catch, the waste is thrown into the water and fish move in to sample the offering.
