From the archives of Oral Roberts – Third of four parts
The years continued to pass, and the foresters came out to cut down the second tree. Like the first tree, he was quivering with delight and said, “Now I’m going to be something important, a great sailing ship.” To his dismay, he was not shaped into the form of a great sailing ship, but a little fishing boat. And they carried him to the Sea of Galilee.
Soon a man by the name of Simon Peter owned him, and the little tree began to cry, “O God, what have I done to deserve this? All my dreams are smashed, and I’m just a smelly old fishing boat.”
Jesus Christ of Nazareth came striding to the Sea of Galilee, followed by enormous crowds of lost and suffering people. He saw Peter’s boat and asked if He could borrow it. They shoved the boat out from the shore, and Jesus sat in the boat and taught the people. His Words went into their hearts, calming their spirits, giving them hope, telling them the way to heaven and of a new and better life.
When He finished, Jesus said to Peter, “Now bring your partners and launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. I took your boat empty, but I shall give it back full.” Peter said, “But, Lord, we’ve been out all night toiling in the sea, and we caught nothing. Nevertheless, at Your Word, I’ll go let down the net.” When the fishermen got out into the deep, they found their depth.
The fish hit the nets, filling them to overflowing. The nets were so heavy they began to break, and the boat began to sink. It was a net-breaking, boat-sinking load!
The little boat said, “Lord, I’m so sorry I complained. I complained that I was not going to be a great sailing ship carrying cargo all over the world. I didn’t know that one day I’d be able to carry a precious cargo like this! Your planning is better than all of mine!”