Calling the Fishermen.

{VIA}

I love this painting, I always have. I love the colors, and the way the water ripples, and the way Christ looks. I just like all of it. But there was one thing I hadn't really taken note of. Well, I guess that's not fair. I've noticed it, but never thought about it in this way before.

This last Sunday, there was a really interesting speaker in my ward. You see, we all take turns speaking during our worship meeting, which is a meeting we call Sacrament. It's the most sacred meeting of all our church meetings, and is the time when we partake of the Sacrament. Bread and water are blessed and partaking of it allows us to renew our covenants made with our Heavenly Father at baptism. If taken properly, we become clean again. We carefully and thoughtfully consider the sacrament prayers and the covenants we are renewing, such as: eating in remembrance of the body of Christ, and promise that we will always remember his sacrifice upon the cross,  drinking in remembrance of the blood shed for us, which atoned for the sins of Adam and allows us to be freed from our own sins, on condition of true repentance, covenanting to take upon us the name of Christ, and avoid anything that would bring shame to His name, and covenanting to keep His commandments.

After we take the sacrament, we hear from church members who have been assigned to speak on certain topics. It's a time to learn and reflect upon the Lord.

So, as I was listening to this certain speaker (his name was Brother Lillywhite, if you're wondering), he mentioned something so interesting, I'm surprised I'd never caught on.

Brother Lillywhite mentioned this picture, and the way Christ's feet are positioned. In it, He is calling to Peter, asking him to come to Him so that He may make them "fishers of men". In the painting, Jesus' feet are parallel to the shoreline, and His left heel is raised, as if He is still walking.  He is calling to them, and moving forward with His work. He wanted them to come, and come when He needed them. His feet are not perpendicular to the shoreline, as they would be were He begging them to come. He asked simply, and allowed them to make their choice.

This is still how it works today. When our Heavenly Father calls us, or prompts us to do something, we have our choice. But the work doesn't stop. We have to act when we are prompted, for if we are prompted, it is important and needs attention now. We need to move our feet to keep up with His, so that we may serve each other in the best way possible. When He calls us, He is calling us specifically because we are the best person for that job, in that particular moment. And while His plan will not fail, it is made that much better by our willingness to stand and go where He wants us to go.

I'm glad to say I've gotten better at this, standing up and going when He needs me to. I'm not perfect at it yet, but I have seen situations that were time sensitive, and the outcome wouldn't have been as good had I waited and not followed the prompting. I have a strong testimony of angels on earth, and strongly believe we can be those angels for other people if we will listen to promptings and go when we are called.

Have you had any situations where you acted when you were prompted to?