Knots and Faith

While at Cady Lake, fighting the biggest fish I ever caught in my life on a fly rod, God taught me about faith - my 6 lb test leader snapped at the leader loop knot (Surgeon’s End Loop) attaching it to the fly line. The next day while reminiscing about the event, I thought about how it was I who tied the knot. Why did it fail? Why where it did? WHY ME?!!! Araaaarrrggg! I feel like I pulled the football away at the last minute like Lucy does to Charlie Brown, but to myself. The knot could have failed for numerous reasons: I nicked the line while trimming it or it got nicked by the hook during a crumby cast or it abraded on something or whatever, the point is it failed. It most likely failed due to the fact I was using a 12 foot long piece of tippet as a leader, instead of a tapered leader that would've been terminated in a good leader loop and also to 25 lb test. I can honestly say, it's worth the $2.50 - $5 bucks to buy a properly done tapered leader. Well, if you talk to Paul, I have had a lot of experience with knot failure - all knots I tied myself and all HUGE fish I lost do to it.

So what's this got to do with faith? Well, faith in ourselves, and only ourselves, is susceptible to failure every time. However, when you put your faith in Jesus our Lord and Savoir and God our Father, now that faith can never fail. Trust me, the only way it can fail is if you don't try it.

So in whatever you do and however you do it, put your faith in God and Jesus. So say a prayer before you "tie your next knot" and ask God to be with you and bless you during this event. Depending upon your faith, He will be there.

12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:12

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:19-25