The Fish
A story of supernatural provision.
In February of 2018, I did something drastic. Believing I heard the call of God on my life, I quit my full-time job in Colorado and moved across the country to Nevada. I had no back up plan. No job offer. No savings account. And no idea what was in store. What I did have, however, was Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” As I would read that Scripture, I truly believed that God would take care of my every need.
I have always felt a kindred spirit with Peter. He was bold, rash, passionate and sometimes naïve. Peter was so bold that when he saw Jesus walking on water, his first inclination was to rush out to meet him. “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus” (Matt 14.29, NIV). What great faith!
Only when he was faced with the reality of the storm and doubted himself did he sink below the waves. Thankfully, Jesus was there with an outstretched hand to catch him before he drown.
On the long road trip through Utah, I couldn’t help but think this was my moment of stepping out of the boat. I was full of faith, certain I heard Jesus say “Come.” Unlike Peter, I determined in my heart not to doubt. I would not sink in unbelief. Throwing caution to the wind and with reckless abandon, I found myself walking on water.
Quickly, the swirl of the storm picked up around me. I found myself living in a travel trailer in Nevada and my bank account nearly empty. I had applied to dozens of job opportunities and received nothing back but deafening silence. I would pray earnestly for breakthrough, but day after day I found myself being challenged to believe God. Money was so tight that I began to look forward to receiving my $500 security deposit back from my apartment complex in Colorado. Each day I would open the mailbox expectant and hopeful, only to be disappointed.
Then one day, opening the mailbox, there it was. God answered my prayer. The Lord provided just enough money to make it another few weeks. I joyfully opened the envelope to lay hands on the long-awaited refund check. In a moment, my joy turned to despair as I saw that instead of a refund, it was a bill for $190. The wind blew harder, the waves increased in size. I began to sink in unbelief. I cried out to the Lord in prayer.
“This is unfair, I shouldn’t have to pay this!” I cried. “I trusted you to provide, I don’t have enough money to cover this!” “What am I even doing here?” Pouring out my heart to God, he responded by telling me to go buy a journal and write every time in my life that God has shown himself faithful.
The next morning, I woke up and opened my Bible to the Gospel of Matthew. Peter was discussing paying the temple tax with Jesus. Ironically, it felt like the same conversation from the night before. “Do I really have to pay this unfair apartment bill?” Jesus responded to Peter, “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line, take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours” (Matt 17:27, NIV). As I read the story, I felt God tell me he was going to supernaturally pay my bill.
I set out in obedience to purchase the notebook that God told me to buy. Not having much money, I drove to both Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Neither had notebooks in stock. I grumbled to myself as to the reason I was even looking for a notebook, I couldn’t possibly see how writing testimonies could solve my current predicament. I was quickly running out of options. There was one last thrift store in town, so I locked in my GPS to provide directions. It was an independent shop on the outskirts of town called “The Fish.”
I walked to the back of the shop and saw a shelf full of notebooks. I selected one with a .75 cent price tag, purchased it, and drove back home. The notebook had a few pockets, and as I flipped through them I noticed a crisp white envelope. I removed the envelope, opened it, and inside was $200 in cash! From “the fish’s” mouth, God supernaturally met my needs.
Like Peter, I had launched myself into a season of supernatural dependency. When the storm intensified, I found myself sinking in unbelief. God made Scripture come alive before my very eyes, and with an outstretched hand Jesus caught me before I disappeared underneath the waves.
Jesus extends an open invitation for each of us to step out of the boat into a deeper place of trust. Perhaps your “boat” looks a bit different than mine, but each of us has a place of security that hinders our spiritual growth. Spend some time asking the Lord what is holding you back from a greater level of trust in your own life. Is it a relationship? Worldly comforts? Financial pressures?
Today, Jesus is beckoning you to “Come.” Stepping into the unknown is never easy, but the opportunity to grow your faith and see God move in supernatural ways is waiting for you on the other side. “Seek first the kingdom” means we must take the first step. When we place our faith in God with our whole heart, he will never let us drown.
