Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary
May 11, 2025
John 21:1-14
Jesus said to them, “You have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the other side of the boat, and you will find some.”
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God often reveals Himself in simple, ordinary moments—through familiar places, tasks, and choices that reveal hope, meaning, and life. After the overwhelming events of Jesus’ death and resurrection, His disciples returned to the familiar Sea of Galilee. Overwhelmed by grief, disorientation, and the astonishing reality of the risen Christ, they slipped back into their old routines. Peter declared, “I’m going fishing." After fishing all night without success, a voice from the shore told them to cast their nets on the other side. Despite their doubts, they obeyed—and their nets overflowed. It was then they realized: it was Jesus.
Like the disciples, we often divide life into sacred and secular. Yet, Jesus appears unexpectedly, urging us to “cast our net over the other side”—to try His way, whether through kindness to a difficult person, prayer, generosity, or loving our enemies. Though these acts may seem pointless, obedience transforms the ordinary into extraordinary. If we hear and heed God’s voice, many places and situations we once thought ordinary will be transformed as we experience God at work in us and around us, providing for our deepest needs.