The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 1 April 2024 – A Turnaround
TOPIC: A Turnaround
READ: John 20:1-14 (NKJV)
1 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.
4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
7 and the [a]handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.
12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
THE MESSAGE:
It is not obvious why Peter and six other disciples went back to fishing. But it is clear that they caught nothing after their painful toil that night. Naturally, they may have been disappointed, frustrated and dissatisfied with the sad outcome. Sometimes our ventures do not yield the desired results and it would appear all we have are empty nets, empty bank accounts and unfulfilled expectations after all our hard work. But at such times the Lord is near. He assured that He will never leave nor abandon us (Hebrews 13:5).
What a joy when the Lord intervenes and by His direction, things turn around. The result is usually bigger, just like in our text where Peter and company caught a large number of big fishes, with a waiting complimentary breakfast. It is important we keep faith in the face of disappointment; we should listen, hear and follow the Lord’s voice in such situations.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, cause me to hear and obey Your voice for a turnaround, Amen.
