Warm Worms

                Henry and Bill had always been the best of friends and they had always experienced new things together.  So it was no different when Henry decided he wanted to try his hand at ice fishing.  Henry talked Bill into embarking on the trip with him.  They made their plans, gathered up their tackle and did all the research they could on how to ice fish.  The day finally came and they both were excited about the adventure they were on.  When they arrived at the frozen lake, they followed the locals’ advice and went out a couple hundred yards off the shore.  They found a spot that looked liked it had been fished recently, so they knew it would be easier to break through the ice.  They set up their fish gear for a day of fun and fellowship.

                Both men had been fishing for a little while and Henry never got a bite.  He noticed his buddy a few feet away was catching fish after fish.  Finally after watching Bill reel in his sixth fish of the morning, Henry asked Bill what he was doing wrong.  Bill looked right at Henry and said, “Ymmm Hmmm Mm Mmmm Tmm Mmmms Mmm.”  Henry must have thought his ears were frozen because he didn’t understand a word Bill said.  So he asked him again, “Bill what am I doing wrong?”  Bill replied, “Ymmm Hmmm Mm Mmmm Tmm Mmmms Mmm.”  Henry still had no idea what Bill was telling him and it must have showed on his face.  Bill realizing that Henry did not understand, spit out everything in his mouth and repeated what he said.  Bill told him, “You Have to

Keep Your Worms Warm.”

                Christians are a lot like Henry.  We prepare ourselves for the adventure. We make sure we have all the right tackle and we know where to start fishing.  We even try to find spots that have already been cleared for us and breaking the ice will be easier.  And just like Henry, we set our bait out to the side and allow it to freeze while we fish.  We spend countless time waiting on the “fish” to bite our frozen bait.  We are so focused on not catching anything that we don’t realize others around us are pulling fish in on every cast.  Finally when the frustration sets in, do we ask for help.  That’s when we find out that we missed a key component to our success.

                Making changes in the church is no different than ice fishing.  When we think that we have done everything right and the ministry should be a success, we are ultimately let down when it comes crashing in around us.  All the preparation in the world will yield zero results when we allow our bait to be set on the frozen ground.  Jesus has to bet kept alive inside the ministry and must be at the forefront of everything that we do.  That is in everything as simple as putting a community meal together all the way up to finding a new pastor.  When the people of the church start running ahead of God’s plan, even when God’s plan is laid out for them, they never have the results they intended on having.  The time of harvest turns into a time of frustration and hurt feelings.

                So how do we have success in new opportunities?  Bill answered that one for us.  We have to keep the worms warm.  We have the best bait in the world.  Jesus is the only thing that can attract new “fish” to the church.  But we must do our part in keeping him from being frozen in us.  We have to allow Him to work in our adventures and we have to give Him all the credit for the successes we see.  Jesus can open the doors that we never knew existed.  All we need to do is be ready to follow His lead.  And as long as we keep Him warm and allow Him to be the bait, then we will reap a great harvest. 

                So I ask you now, are you keeping your bait warm or is it sitting to the side getting cold?  Don’t allow the Son of the Living God to be frozen out of everything that you do.  He was willing to sacrifice Himself for you and will continue to be the bait for anyone that needs Him.  Jesus is the answer to all the failing ministries and all the frustration of not reaching a lost world.  As Bill said, “You have to keep the worms warm.”  Are your worms warm today?

                Lord I come to You today to pray for anyone that has allowed their worms to get cold.  I pray that You give them someone that will remind them Jesus is the only bait to attract new fish.  Lord I ask that You bring peace to the ones that have run in front of Your plan and have forgotten that it is Your will be done,  not my will.  You alone can change the direction of any venture when we allow You to take the helm and be light of the path.  Lord I pray that You open the eyes of so many that think they know what is best without knowing what Your plan is.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.