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Maybe I should not read the Bible just before I go to sleep at night. "Why?" you ask. Because I have a tendency to dream about whatever I read. Take this story from John 21:1-14. I read it recently and found myself in a dream out there on another boat watching and listening. Here's what I saw and heard....

The disciples of Jesus had gone back to the same old boats, their fishing boats, that is. And apparently they had even forgotten how to do that, for they had fished all night and not even caught a minnow or a bass! Suddenly, a voice came out to them across the water from a man standing on the shore: "You haven't caught anything, have you?"

Thomas shouted back, "No, we haven't."

I saw Nathaniel squinting his eyes and looking in the distance. "Who is that, anyway? I can't quite make him out from here," he said.

James looked too. "Don't know," he said.

"But that voice sounds familiar," the one named John replied.

And then the voice came again: "Try casting your nets on the other side. You'll catch some fish there."

This time the large one named Peter looked toward the shore and said, "Who does that guy think he is, Jesus? What does he know about fishing? We're the fishermen here."

James replied, "Yeah. We practically grew up on this lake, didn't we? No one knows it better than we do."

"Yeah, lots of good memories on this old lake. I especially remember that one day, don't you?" John asked.

Then Peter said what they are were thinking, "How could we forget that day? It seems so long ago now ... we were fishing like today when another man came to the shore...." (Peter's words were lost in silence for a moment and I could tell he and the rest of them were greatly moved.)

John continued for him ... "And this man, this strange, wonderful man spoke such wondrous things. He told us to follow him and he would make us fishers of people."

"But we didn't understand then, did we?" James asked.

"But we left our nets and our boats and followed him anyway," Peter added. "Who would have ever thought it would have ended that way? A cross! I feel as empty as these fishing nets."

And that voice came echoing again over the water to them: "Cast your nets on the other side of the boat."

Nathaniel said, "I don't know. I'm tired. Why bother? Let's just pull the nets up and call it a day. Besides, I'm feeling just a little seasick and don't think I can take anymore rocking of the boat."

But the voice still echoed: "Cast your nets on the other side of the boat."

"But, we've never done it that way before, you know, fished over there. Everyone knows you can't catch fish over there," James said.

Thomas replied, "But what do we have to lose? I know it's a lot of work and we're probably wasting our time. But what else have we got to do? It's sure not working on this side."

The other disciples gave reluctant grunts of agreement. They hauled in the nets, rocking the boat back and forth as they moved around, then let the nets out on the other side. They had hardly placed the nets in the water when I heard Peter say, "Well, I'll be! Look at that."

And I saw them all bending over looking at their nets. Thought they were going to turn the boat over! And even from where I was sitting I could see that their nets were teeming with fish, swelling their nets until it seemed they would burst! Then John looked toward the shore again, a look of light and hope on his face. I heard him shout, "It's the Lord!"

And all the disciples then looked and knew it, too. Peter was so excited that he jumped into the water and swam to shore. For such joy had filled their hearts again, a joy even greater than that first day when he had called out to them. The others tugged on the nets, heavy with fish, and eventually came to shore, where, sure enough, Jesus greeted them and had breakfast ready. And I saw them eat together, the weariness and emptiness replaced with new strength and purpose.

Suddenly I found myself on the shore with them and they began to speak to me.

Nathaniel spoke first. "Sometimes, my friend, you just can't keep doing things the same old way, fishing from just one side of the boat."

"That's right," Thomas joined in. "Sometimes you have to do something different, even if you doubt it will work."

"Change positions. Rock the boat a little," John added.

James said, "Yeah, make some waves."

"Yes, even seasoned fishermen can still learn something new," Peter said.

Then I heard Jesus say to me: "Rock the boat! Cast your nets on the other side!"

Lord, you know I don't much like rocking the boat, making waves. Getting out of a rut is just too bumpy. What's that, Lord? "A rut is just a grave with the ends knocked out?" If you say so, Lord. I'll give it another try. Show me where to cast my nets and hand me some seasick medicine. Amen.