Devotions for the Wisconsin Annual Conference - Making a Switch
“As Jesus passed alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ he said, ‘and I’ll show you how to fish for people.’” (Mark 1:16-17)
It was about a decade ago when I made the big switch from a PC to an Apple Computer. I made this shift when I heard an advertisement from Microsoft (it was a short-lived ad). The ad stated about their new operating system, Vista, “this is the closest to Apple that our operating system has ever been.” I remember thinking to myself, “If they are trying to copy Apple, then why am I not moving to Apple?”
There were many other reasons I had been thinking about making the switch also, but that was the straw that broke the camel’s back, for me anyway.
When I got my new computer, everything was different. I was struggling with the new operating system in the Apple environment. I even remember going to the person who helped me make the switch and said, “This is hard.”
He responded by saying, “It will take a while to unlearn what you have learned. But remember, Apple is very simple, just think about what the easiest way is to solve this, and that will probably work.” I found his words to be helpful.
I was thinking about change and doing things differently when I read this scripture. Jesus was inviting Simon and Andrew on a new type of fishing adventure. He was inviting them to move from a boat (which was familiar) to a new way of gathering. He was inviting them to gather people, to invite people to faithfulness in God’s way.
I believe you and I are in such a time of God calling us to something new. The realities of our current world have forced us to unlearn some things and go ahead and learn new things. We are still called to reach new people for Jesus. We are still called to find ways to care for the hurting. We are still called to live for justice. May we hear God’s call anew in our lives today.
Prayer: Holy One, come to us today. Help us to hear your call to not only live faithfully, but to reach out and tell your story through our words, our lives, our dreams, and our hopes. We are forced to do new things, but let us not grow weary of sharing the life you give to us with others around us. Show us where you would want us to go and move, and give us the courage to say yes to you In the hope Jesus offers us, Amen.
May this devotion provide you with a moment of faithful reflection and care. You are involved in ministries of justice and witness, in ministries of standing up and standing with people working to create better systems and communities, in ministries of learning and searching and researching to become more aware and awakened, more technologically savvy and proficient, more virtually and personally present in your churches and communities and world. Each of us who serve as members of your Wisconsin Cabinet write these devotions in grateful prayer for you – for sustenance and buoyancy, for strength and courage, for safety and just actions, and for faith and love to be full and fulfilled in your daily lives. God’s grace and blessings, God’s challenge and healthy discomfort, God’s Spirit and energy be with you, in the hope Christ offers us all.