What in the world was happening?
The airplane had disappeared.
John was sitting, not on an airplane toilet seat, but on a wide wooden bench.
Not thousands of feet in the air, but in the middle of a group of scraggly looking men.
On a boat.
On the water.
“Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
The question was not asked by any of the men on the boat. The voice came over the breeze, from somewhere in the distance.
From the low position of the sun, John guessed it was either very early morning or almost night.
“Look!” One of the bearded men stood up and pointed at something in the distance.
John looked in the direction the man was pointing and saw the shape of a person.
Another man on the boat spoke up. “Who is this who asks about our catch?”
“I don’t know. But I can’t believe it. All night on the sea and not a single fish.”
The man standing said, “Nathanael, please believe that we will catch fish tomorrow. You’ve been carrying a lot of things in your heart. I know that God will not forget us.”
“You’re right, Didymus. I’m sorry. That was just so much work for nothing,” Nathanael replied.
John rubbed his face. How on earth did he get on a primitive fishing boat with a bunch of dirty fishermen? Where did the airplane go? Where was Margaret?
Then, in unison, the fishermen answered the person who asked about catching fish. “NO!”
John was confused.
The shape in the distance became a man standing on the shore where the water lapped up over the land.
“Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
John watched the men who surrounded him reach down and grab a heavy fishing net. Together, they obeyed the command and tossed it over the right side. John watched it sink below the surface.
After a few minutes of silence, the men tried hauling the net in but couldn’t.
“It’s filled with fish!”
“Impossible!”
At that moment, a connection was made. John remembered what all this was. The Bible story where Jesus returned from the grave and appeared to His friends by the Sea of Galilee! How on earth was he able to be in the middle of this miracle?
“It is the Lord!”
One of the fishermen, who stood in front of John, wrapped his outer garment around him. The man smiled and jumped over the side of the boat into the water.
“Simon Peter!” another man yelled after the one who jumped in.
John watched Simon Peter swim toward the shore.
“Let’s go. We are about a hundred yards away. Since the net is too heavy, we can pull it in to shore.”
The fishermen lowered two big wooden oars into the water and started rowing.
When they reached the shore, John hopped out of the boat and landed on the sand. He wiped his hands off on his jeans and looked over at the man who had asked if the men had caught any fish.
John knew the story. That meant the robed man with long hair and an epic beard standing in front of him was … Jesus!
No. Way.
Simon Peter crawled out of the water and ran to Jesus and gave him a huge bear hug.
Behind Jesus, John noticed a fire made from burning coals. On it, fish were cooking.
After hugging Peter, Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
John watched Peter climb back into the boat and grab the net. The disciple climbed back into the shallow water and dragged the net ashore.
The other disciples scurried around the open net and began counting the large fish that were in it.
John kept staring at Jesus.
Am I dead?
“No, you’re not dead!” Jesus turned and looked directly at John.
John was so excited and freaked out at the same time, he couldn’t talk. He was standing in front of Jesus!
His body felt electric, like the time his grandparents took him on the X-Scream ride 866 feet above Vegas on top of the Stratosphere tower. The buzz of excitement came on the elevator ride up, as John thought about the thrill of being strapped in a tiny car and being dangled out over the edge.
John’s life up to this point had been the elevator ride up the tower. He thought it would be cool to see Jesus and could only wonder what that would actually be like. And there were plenty of days when he wished he could just give Jesus a hug and feel all of life’s stress simply wash away.
But then came the freaked-out part. Belted in the roller coaster and being tilted back and forth so far up in the sky. John’s body revolted and wanted out, but that couldn’t happen until the ride ended.
Standing on the shore of the actual Sea of Galilee, in front of Jesus …
John was certifiably freaked out!
“I love you so much, John. Don’t be afraid.”
“Jesus?”
“Yes, precious child.” Jesus spread His arms open.
John stepped closer and opened his arms too.
He closed his eyes and got the hug of a hundred million lifetimes!
Safe.
Warm.
Eternal.
“I am so glad you’re here, John Le. You make Me happy.”
“How is this happening?”
Jesus hugged John a second time.
Safer.
Warmer.
Eternal.
“I love you, John Le. I want you to see and feel just how special I made you.”
One of the disciples shouted, “We’ve counted a hundred and fifty-three fish. And, we’ve checked the net and it is not torn!”
Jesus smiled again at John.
“Come, friends, and have breakfast with Me.”
John stood with his mouth open, not able to believe that he was standing next to Jesus! He watched Him take the bread and rip chunks off for each of His friends. Then He did the same thing with the fish.
I’m laughing, John. You think you’re somebody important now that you’re with Jesus?
It was his dad’s voice. Crystal clear. Just as real as him standing on the beach having breakfast with Jesus!
John, you are not important.
Why was this beautiful moment getting wrecked by the sound of his father’s voice?
“John, what’s wrong, My child?”
It was Jesus.
“It’s my dad’s voice. I don’t know why, but it’s like he’s right here with us.”
“Dear child, your father can’t hurt you here.”
Of course I can. You still won’t matter when you get back to reality.
“He’s still talking to me.” John blinked his eyes a few times.
Jesus offered him His outstretched hand. “Come, John. You’ve had a long day. Get some rest, and then you and I will talk about more than just your earthly father.”
John couldn’t concentrate. The ugly voice in his head distracted him from the beautiful moment of sharing a meal with Jesus and His friends.
“SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.”
The hideous sounds came from the sky above them. It sounded like a billion ear-piercing school fire alarms going off at the same time.
John looked up and screamed.