READ: John 21:1-14
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
Psalm 65:4
When Jesus went to heaven, the disciples discovered their true state – that they were just fishermen, and that their closeness to Jesus was everything. They also discovered that they were not even successful with their secular work without Jesus. Without Jesus they caught nothing. With Jesus, they caught a multitude of fish which they could not draw into the ship.
Dear friend, grow quickly in your understanding of how things work. Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Without Jesus we can do nothing.
Closeness to God is good for you. Closeness to the one whom God has sent you to is essential. Laban recognized that he was blessed because he was close to Jacob. He did not know what mysterious blessing followed Jacob but he recognized that everything changed when it was under the hand of Jacob, his nephew (Genesis 30:27).
It is interesting how non-believers recognize supernatural help because of the presence of a person. Potiphar’s house was blessed because of Joseph’s presence in the house (Genesis 39:5).
A novice thinks that he prospers because he works hard. But there are many people who work hard and do not prosper. A novice thinks that he prospers because he is educated, intelligent and cultured. However, an experienced man knows that there are many people who work hard and who are equally educated but do not prosper. It takes experience and humility to recognize that your closeness to somebody is the reason for your blessing.
This is why most breakaway pastors and rebels are young and inexperienced men who feel they are just as good as their leader.