Pastor Jim Jackson

Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church

Fishing on Sunday when I was a child was frowned upon in the society where I lived. Hearing such cautions about it, I actually thought anything caught on Sunday might make you sick. Any kind of extra curricular activity using overt physical action would be considered work. Sunday was a day fit only for rest.

But we had a problem in our extended family, when some members frowned on my dad working on Sunday. Actually he was, for he drove a Greyhound bus, and commercial transportation didn’t take Sundays off. Yet it was interesting to me that some people didn’t hesitate to eat at restaurants on the Lord’s day. Don’t chefs and waiters work? What about preachers? We gotta work on Sunday, though some folk think we only work one day a week and then for only one hour. People, sermons don’t drop out of the sky and good pastoral visits can’t be done via the phone or internet. That’s saying nothing about committee meetings, counseling, office work etc.

But back to fishing.

Couldn’t it be considered restful? No! For serious fishing is work, rigging your equipment, getting the boat ready, packing a lunch of sardines and Beanie Weenies. Oh yea, gotta have bait for the fish and gas for the truck and outboard.

Over the years I’ve heard church members remark.

“Preacher, I’m sorry I’ll miss church Sunday, for I’m going fishing. But, you know, I feel just as close to the Lord on the Lake.” Fishing is nothing short of work. Success and you’ll have to clean fish.

Not many wives volunteer for that anymore. Clean up and put up all you took fishing. Oh, and ya can’t ignore that sunburn. Catch a nap in your recliner? Not while your honey is laboring in the Kitchen. See, you’ve made her work too.

Jesus had something to say about working on the Sabbath. Criticized for picking grain, shucking it and eating it, he said something like “the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” Somethings take precedence over law. Grace is the word for it. The creation story speaks of God himself resting following creation. If he chose rest, certainly it must be good for us all. Whether on Sunday or on another day of the week, we need time to worship God in the company of others. Jesus believed that for sure. The Scriptures tell us of his attendance at corporate worship, “as was his custom.” Fish need rest too. You might give them Sundays off.