By Crispin Powley
A big part of my life is and has been the outdoors. I make my living in the outdoors. I spend a lot of my free time in the outdoors both hunting and fishing. I feel God’s presence in a strong way when I am outside in His creation. For me, it is much more peaceful and uninhibited than being inside four walls. I thank Him for allowing me this place of refuge.
I found myself out on Lake Fork the other morning. I was going to get in a few hours of fishing before work. I was riding around looking for fish with my fishfinder. I don’t know this particular lake that well so it was a pretty big challenge to find myself out in the middle with no real knowledge of where the fish were. However, because I am confident in the capabilities of my fishfinder as well as my ability to comprehend and understand what it showed me, I was undaunted. Truth be told, I was actually excited about the challenge.
That’s when I had an epiphany. Jesus is like a fishfinder. I know those of you that don’t fish are possibly confused right now, but roll with me for a minute.
What I do first
When I back my boat in the water, the first thing I do is turn on my fishfinder. The particular model that I use not only has sonar, which shows fish and other things in the water below the boat, it also has GPS – Global Positioning System. The function of GPS in a fishing capacity is to allow you to know where you are and how to navigate to where you want to go. It is a huge safety feature as, through GPS maps, it allows you to avoid hazardous areas such as water that is too shallow or where there are underwater hazards such as stumps or rocks. It also allows you to locate and navigate to the areas that are the best for whatever type of fishing you are doing. My GPS makes me very efficient while on the water.
The sonar function of a fishfinder is essentially like having eyes under the water. It shows me what is under my boat be it fish, brush, trees, rocks, etc. When I see what I am looking for I fish there. If I don’t see what I need, I don’t fish there. It’s really pretty simple.
The thing is, you have to trust your fishfinder. Obviously, I can’t see what is on the bottom in 25 feet of water, but my fishfinder can. I know that it can so I trust what I see it on it.
Another critical aspect is learning how to use your fishfinder and what it can do for you. That can be accomplished several ways. You can read the manual, or go online and watch tutorials or get advice from someone else that knows more about it than you. You can even go to seminars where people who are really educated about them will teach you how to use them.
I am convinced, and I’ve had it proven to me on more than one occasion, that I am not a very successful fisherman without my fishfinder. I rely on it as much as I do my outboard motor and rods and reels. I am literally lost on the lake without it. I’ve come to rely on it so heavily that even on lakes that I know well, I can’t get around very good or find what I’m looking for without it.
Are you picking up on this yet?
When you look to Jesus, He will show you what you are looking for. He will show you what to avoid and He will show you where to go for good things. He will help you become a better fisherman. You can’t always see what He is telling you, but if you will take the time to read the manual, the Bible, or get counsel from others that know Him, you will learn what He can do for you. You will learn to have faith that even though you can’t always see what He’s showing you, it’s there.
The more you study about Him, the more you will learn and the better you will understand what He is telling you.
Then you will realize that you can’t and won’t be very successful without Him. You will rely on Him in all situations. You would be lost without Him.
So I urge you to turn on your fishfinder and GPS (God’s Plan of Salvation!). Learn about it. Learn to trust it. It will show you everything that you are trying to find.
