Fishing for an answer

I like Mark Buchanan's description of prayer:

Fishing is as good a metaphor as anything for the life of prayer. The unpredictability of the element, its tempestuousness at times, its windless calm at others. And its depth, its vastness - the feeling that we're just skimming surfaces, that the mystery and marvel folds down into unfathomable and often unreachable darkness. The thrill when something, anything, takes the line and the disappointment and often the mess when it's not what you hoped for.

And always the waiting.

- Mark Buchanan, Your God is too Safe, p. 219

A couple of things stand out from this.

• There is much we cannot control We are at the mercy of the weather works, the water, the depth, the snags, the presence (or absence) of fish, and whether or not they are hungry enough to chase something that does not really resemble their natural food, the total guesswork of what kind of fish may be on the end of the line etc.
  
• Often we don't get what we expected We may dredge up the proverbial boot, buried treasure - anything but fish!
  
• Waiting Once the line is cast, what more is there to do? What more can you do but wait?