April 6: Walking the Shoreline With Jesus

by Nicola Blackmore 

Key text: “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

There is something sacred about a shoreline.  The place where water meets land feels like a boundary — not fully sea, not fully earth. It’s a place of decision. In Gospel of Matthew 4, Jesus walked along the shore of Galilee and called ordinary fishermen to follow Him. They were at work: nets in hand, boats nearby and responsibilities waiting for them. Then, He simply said, “Follow Me.”  I imagine the sound of the waves that day. The smell of fish and salt. The weight of wet nets in their hands. Following Jesus was not convenient. It was disruptive.

The shoreline becomes an object lesson for my own life. The water represents the familiar — my routines, my comfort, the identity I’ve built. The land represents the unknown future Christ is inviting me into and like those fishermen, I stand at the edge, holding my nets.

Sometimes my “nets” are my plans, my expectations and sometimes they are the quiet fear of stepping into something greater than I feel prepared for.  Ellen G. White writes in The Desire of Ages: “Those who become co-laborers with Christ will share in His self-denial and sacrifice.”  That sentence humbles me. Following Jesus is not merely walking beside Him when it is comfortable. It is surrendering the nets willingly.

Another powerful reminder comes from Christ's Object Lessons: “When we surrender ourselves wholly to God, and in our work follow His directions, He makes Himself responsible for its accomplishment.”  That changes everything. Jesus did not ask the fishermen to become fishers of men on their own strength. He said, “I will make you.” The transformation is His work. The surrender is mine.

The shoreline teaches me three quiet truths:

1. Jesus meets me where I am working not in perfection, but in the middle of daily responsibilities.

2. Following requires release. I cannot hold nets and walk freely at the same time.

3. Transformation is promised. “I will make you.” Growth is not self-manufactured; it is Christ-shaped.

As an adult, I feel the weight of responsibility more than I once did. Students are watching. Expectations are real. Purpose matters. Yet beneath it all, I am still simply someone walking the shoreline with Jesus, learning to trust Him step by step.  The waves keep moving. The invitation remains: “Follow Me.”

So today, I respond, with the words of the hymn as my commitment: “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.”

Today, I lay down whatever nets I have been gripping too tightly. I choose the uncertainty of walking with Christ over the security of staying in the boat. Because every shoreline moment is really an invitation to deeper trust and the One who calls is faithful.

For me, that means surrendering my leadership, my influence, my future, and even the quiet worries I carry. It means trusting Him with my students, my calling, and the shaping of my character. It means staying anchored when the tide pulls.

Following Jesus requires release — but it also promises His faithful work within me.

Prayer:
Lord, here at this shoreline moment, I surrender all. Take my plans, my fears, and my responsibilities, and shape them according to Your will. Help me follow You without hesitation and trust You with the results. Make me into what You have called me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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