| 153! But Who's Counting? - article by Joel Hempel Following the resurrection of Jesus, with no clear direction of what to do, the disciples did what they knew. Peter and others went back to work as fishermen. After all, they had to make a living. The great commission had not been given; Jesus’ ascension had not yet happened; and the Holy Spirit had not yet descended upon them. Providing for their family and community of believers was the right thing to do. So, was it business as usual? Not even close. The miraculous catch of 153 fish1 was one of many signs that there was a new normal. Nothing would ever be the same. Under their effort and expertise, they caught nothing but disappointment. Under the care and guidance of Jesus, they caught 153 fish, but who’s counting? Well, actually, we should all be counting! They sure did. As I wrote this article, the hymn, Count Your Blessings, Name Them One By One, came to mind. The lyrics are in the link below.2 The message in counting our blessings – like counting a miraculous catch of fish – is not that we should feel guilty complaining about what we don’t have, or that we should be grateful for what we do have. Rather, the song encourages us to count our blessings as a way to not only be at peace with what we have, but also to bask in the goodness of God and trust that our Lord will continue giving to us from the richness of his grace. I think we would all agree that God’s grace through Jesus’ death and resurrection, our forgiveness, and the assurance of our life forever in heaven are blessings number one.3 Secondly, at least in my way of thinking, is the Gift of the Holy Spirit, because He is given as our full-time Advocate, Counselor, Comforter, and Guide. As we grow in our faith, we grow in our dependency on God’s Spirit. What blessing comes next for you, I don’t know. But one amazing blessing is that knowing we have been loved into the Kingdom of God, we also know we are persons of significance in the Body of Christ. That is, we are God’s handiwork,4 created to serve in special ways unique to who we are. There are countless other blessings, as you can see in the footnote.5 But, it is understandable that when we get away from reflecting on the blessings that surround us, we become discouraged with what we don’t have, or because of challenges that can be overwhelming. But God invites us to focus on the numerous ways God has always loved us and promises to continue caring for us.6 It’s no wonder the disciples didn’t go back to the lives they previously had before Jesus. As challenging as their new life would become, the opportunities and benefits were – and are for us – extraordinary! 1. John 21:1-14 2. https://hymnary.org/text/when_upon_lifes_billows_you_are_tempest 3. Ephesians 1:5-7; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 4. Ephesians 2:10 5. E.g., Holy Communion and baptism, worship with fellow believers, artists who give us inspiring hymns and glorious music, increased wisdom from meditating on God’s Word, peace and joy from above, growing unity among the faithful, gifts of grace, and countless other blessings surrounding us nearby and in nature. 6. If you were to keep a Blessings Received Journal, what would you include? | 
