When Fish Catch Men

In Romans 8:37 we read, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Brother Danny always asked the question, how we could be more than conquerors? I know what it is to conqueror, but to be more than a conqueror?”I am sure that God has some unimaginable ways to show us the meaning of that and there are many ways the meaning may be manifest in our lives. But, last week He showed it to me in a small, but significant way.

VBS was beginning is a few days and my role was to play the part of a fisherman working in a fish market. As the first day of VBS approached I began making my costume and thinking about what props I would have. I was thinking I need a fish as a prop and wondered if I would have to strike a deal with my 4-year-old niece to borrow some of her toy fishies. As I was driving to work on Friday my thoughts again went to what I should do about a prop as VBS started on Monday. While at work I went to visit a colleague who had just moved into a new office. When I entered his office there on top of a bookshelf was a 4-foot long, beautiful, stuffed toy catfish. I asked if I could borrow it the following week and my friend said I could have it. It was there when he moved into the office. Leaving his office I thought how God is so wonderful and loving even in the small things. But, I would soon learn that God always has bigger things in mind and can always work them out even through the small things.

Now back at my desk I have to put this large stuffed catfish somewhere! I’m not in an office, I have a cube and just outside my cube wall is a short two-drawer file cabinet. So on top of the file cabinet Mr. Fish goes. He immediately began to draw attention as if he were casting lures out into the office and attracting schooling co-workers. Soon he got his first bite, “Hey Ed, what’s the fish for?” I replied, “It’s for VBS. This year our theme is Galilee by the Sea, and I am the fisherman. Why don’t you come on by?” One bite, then another and another. It was at that moment it hit me. God not only provides, He more than provides. Just as in Christ we are more than conquerors. Not only does God provide a way for us to be freed from death, but we also inherit the Kingdom of God.

My words can not explain this sufficiently, so I’ll use the words of the Holy Spirit found in Romans 8:36-39 “As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”