God of the fifth cast

Dann Allendar tells a great story about taking his son fishing the end result of which was one of those great moments dads dream about.

He had promised his son a fish.

In fact, more than promise, he guaranteed that before the morning was through, one or more fish would be in the boat (note to self- be careful what you promise your son!).

You have probably already guessed that after several hours they were bone dry. Not a fish, not a bite, not a ripple in the water. His son was crushed. "Dad, you promised." Every dad reading this knows this dreadful refrain.

"Just one more cast, and then we have to go." And so it went, for three, four more casts.

Nothing.

Allendar knew they had to give up, but his own dissappointment and the pleading of his son worked him into one more cast.

It was the one that caught the fish.

Allendar and his son rejoiced in the glory of his son catching his first fish. The morning was saved and the boys emotions were raptured into ecstacy. "My first fish!"

As they were rowing back to shore, his son said "Dad, I have just discovered a new name for God."

"Oh yeah, what is that son?"

"God of the fifth cast!"

Allendar, who is president of Mars Hill Seminary and a terrific Bible scholar and theologian, observed that in our simplist and most surprising moments, God teaches lessons that can sustain us for eternity.

These past two weeks have been tough.

My dads declining health (while dad was in the waiting room, my father in law was admitted)
The week from Hades on the IMB
A staff position I had worked on for many months fell through at the last minute
My nephew's baby was heliflighted to Oklahoma Childrens on Friday (He is doing much better).

All of this converged togther in a very compressed period. I know you can identify- as I have said many times, when we have struggles, that's just called life, when good things happen, that's called a blessing!

I have a had a big dose of LIFE the past few weeks.

Many of my casts have come back empty.

But it is the wonderful memories of how God has worked in the past that sustain me and even bring me great joy. I know that God is faithful. I know that His purposes are true and His paths straight. I know that He is leading us and that in His providence all things work out for His glory when we are called according to His purpose.

He is the God of the Fifth cast.

And for that matter, all the other casts that lead up to it!