FISHERS OF MEN

Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men. Mark 1:17

On a Sunday in July 2001, Jens Oveson, age 60, was fishing for salmon in central Norway's Gaula River. The river is about 220 miles north of the capital, Oslo. Suddenly, he was swept away by a strong current. Kjell Wilhelmsen, 55, spotted the man's struggle. Wilhelmsen was a veteran fisherman who had fished the river for 25 years and knew where the current would carry Ovesen. Wilhelmsen ran across a bridge, waiting for Ovesen as the current carried him downriver. Wilhelmsen later told a newspaper, "He seemed paralyzed. Only his face and the tips of his boots were above water. I decided to start casting." His homemade lure hooked Ovesen's rubber waders on the first cast of about ten yards. But Oveson weighed 246 pounds. Wilhelmsen used every fishing trick he knew to reel in the big man without breaking his light fishing line. He landed the half-conscious Jens and hauled him onto the shore. Oveson survived the ordeal. ``I can thank Kjell for my life,'' Jens told reporters Newsmen tried to interview jell Wilhelmsen soon after the incident, but he had gone fishing.

Nothing is more precious in God's sight than the souls of men and women. That's why He laid down His life. Today in prayer, ask the Lord how you can be more effective at bringing people to Jesus and then act on that insight that He gives.

There is no joy in all the world like the joy of bringing one soul to Christ.

--William Barclay

God's Word: For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men. Luke 5:9-10