All the efforts to find time to go. Squeezing in a couple hours here and there. Dealing with the elements both above and below the water. Is the water stained or clear? Which way is the wind coming from? Shall I fish shallow or deep, along a weedline or rock pile or sandbar or steep drop-off? What time of the year is it, which helps to determine where the fish might be… Shall I use a bucktail, a plastic bait, a rubber bait, a sucker, a top-water bait, a deep diver, or a wooden jerkbait (thus giving illustration to the idea that musky fishing can involve a jerk at both ends)? Taking a break to catch panfish when the grandkids visited. Talking with guides who know what they’re doing. Seeing fish, but not hooking them, hooking them but not catching them, and then, finally, in late July I caught the one.
Is it worth it? Short answer: Yep. Long answer: Are. You. Kidding. Me?! If you fish for these monsters, you understand. If you don’t, well, go do whatever it is that you love to do and revel in that rush of adrenalin and enjoy the moments (whether it’s jet-skiing, downhill skiing, chopping wood, social media scrolling, TikToking, online shopping, or Black Friday at a big city shopping mall – shudder…).
One added bonus is helping others catch one on occasion. Earlier this week, my youngest daughter “finally” (she says) caught her first musky. If you’re with me on Facebook, I posted the pic and the story there on October 31st.
Only one. Is it worth it? Is one soul worth the effort of sharing the Gospel through our Trinity Lutheran Church and School family? Is one soul worth the effort of you refusing to give up on someone who needs to know and believe that Jesus is his/her Savior?
Short answer: Yep. Long answer: Are. You Kidding. Me?! The importance and the thrill of this endeavor is greater than anything else we could conjure up on our earthly journey, because we’re taking about precious souls for whom Jesus died; precious souls who will live forever.
Jesus’ parables in Luke 15 (lost sheep, lost coin, lost son) burst forth with the urgency, importance, and joy of reaching just one precious soul. When we pause and realize that you and I were at one time (and still are) just one precious soul reached by the Gospel of Christ, that fills us with the love of Christ which compels us to reach out to others. One at a time. One by one. For their spiritual and eternal safety. For God’s kingdom. For God’s glory!
Only one. Is it worth it? I’ll leave you with the joy of this mission as expressed by Jesus: “I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent…I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:7, 10)
Grateful with you in Jesus,
Pastor Stephen Luchterhand