2 Sep, 2009
Be Careful How You Store Your Fish!
MOSCOW — Thousands of tropical fish reportedly have died at a Russian airport after being held in customs for 15 hours in the summer heat.
The state RIA Novosti news agency says more that 4,000 fish worth $480,000 died in the Black Sea resort of Sochi after customs officials spent 15 hours clearing the cargo Saturday. The fish had been shipped from China and made a brief stop in India.
The fish were intended for Sochi Discovery World, Russia's largest oceanarium, which is slated to open this month.
RIA Novosti's report Tuesday quotes Oceanarium director Amin Azzam as saying the loss of the fish is an "atrocity unseen anywhere else in the world."
The $25 million oceanarium is part of the development before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
(Story provided by: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,545151,00.html?test=latestnews)
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
What does God's Story teach us about being obedient?
If you are paying attention to this story you realize it would have been easy for Simon to disregard what Jesus asked of him. After all Simon was a professional fisherman, and at that moment Jesus seemed to be just a good teacher. Simon could have said: "No Jesus, fishing is my thing I'm one of the best on the lake. You stick with talking about God 'cause that suits you and I'll do my fishing thing.
Thankfully Simon was to tired to fight about profession. I imagine he yawned, shrugged his shoulders and started pushing his boat back in as he spoke.
It was a good thing too, because his boats ended up filled to the point of sinking.
Connecting today's story, Gods' Story and my story
Take a moment and reread Simon's story slowly. Pay attention to every detail and then put yourself in that story. How would you have reacted to someone, who was pretty much a stranger, telling you how to do your job? What would you say to them and what would you think about saying, especially if you were tired? Would you respond like Simon or would you tell Jesus to move along? How is that similar to your attitude in everyday life?
After you have thought through the story say a prayer asking Jesus to give you a more obedient heart, a willingness to listen to the instructions he gives.
Connecting today's story, God's Story and my story with my friend's story
Read the news story about the fish again. As you read it connect yourself to someone in the story. Maybe you're the customes agent that's just doing their job; maybe you're the person waiting on the fish to arrive, or maybe you work for the agency that caught and shipped the fish.
Now think about your friends where do they fit in the story. My guess is some of your friends are the fish, they are just waiting for someone to help them get where they need to be. They can't do anything about where they are, not by theirselves anyway. They need someone who will walk with them through the tough spots and will do eveything they can to help them stay alive spiritually.
Jesus has called us to be those kinds of friends. A little later in verse 10 Jesus tells Simon he will "catch men." Jesus gives us the same commission to catch our friends and help them get where they are supposed to be; connected to Jesus.
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