Feeling the Tug? (Poem)

Experienced anglers have well harnessed,

Their skillset of line control when fishing.

They focus on managing line slackness,

To catch the trophy fish they are wishing. ¹

Each fish type requires different tactics.

Whether to use a line that’s slack or taut,

Is all in knowing ‘fish diagnostics’.

This results are in bait lost, or fish caught!

Friends, in this example, do you perceive,

Any spiritual wisdom that speaks,

Concerning us who in Jesus believe,

Yet from whose hearts, trusting faith in Him …leaks?

Perhaps all of us believers in Christ.

Either have been, now are, or will be prodigals,

Unfaithful to Him at some point in life.

On us all, unfaithfulness wraps its tentacles.

…But God! His faithfulness to us is so enduring.

To ‘His own’, His faithfulness is always abounding,

Even when our trust weakens, and to Him we don’t cling.

Yet wisdom from fish anglers to me is expounding!

While some fish nibble, or grab, then drop the bait,

Angler’s first desire is that they be hooked!

Yet hooking fish doesn’t mean they’ll be on your plate.

Angler’s last desire is that they be cooked!

Ok! Believers are neither fish nor anglers.

But Jesus did hint we’d be ‘fishers of men’. ²

If in the future we will be ‘like angels’, ³

Then right now, consider us as ‘like fish’. Amen?

'Fish-like' who'll become 'like angles'? Say what??

We well know the real Fisher of men is The Lord God,

Who, by Grace, drew us out of our sin rut.

But there’s something about Him, as Angler, we don’t laud.

As anglers manage line slackness to catch fish to take home,

Through skillfulness and patience, they’ll know,

‘That fish will be mine!’

The Lord knows when to ‘cut some slack’, or give us

‘rope to roam’. ⁴

As a wise angler, He also knows when to…

cut the line! ⁵

Though in weakness of our faith, we all will roam,

The Lord knows who has nibbled, grabbed,

then dropped His love.

To His own, He’s faithful to draw us back home.

But if you really aren’t His, you won’t feel His tug.

Are you really His?

Can you feel His tug …or not?

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¹ Anglers use specific equipment and skillful techniques to catch large, trophy-sized fish, including harnessing the touchy skillset of line control. Some just fish for sport rather than a meal.
² See: Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17

³ See: Matthew 22:30 and Mark 12:25

⁴ To ‘cut someone some slack’ means to loosen a tight restriction, giving someone a less harsh punishment for a crime, or even allowing someone some leeway in following the rules. (Writing Explained). It’s Grace.

⁵ Fishermen cut or break the line when the sinker/bait/lure are irretrievably lost, for a myriad of reasons, thus losing their investments of time, resources  and hope. Often, the hook remains in the jaw of the fish that got away!